Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1534385
68 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2025 all to consider. A true pioneer and entrepre- neur in the space, his title of "futurist" seemed well founded. I encourage you to check out his interview with Barry Matties aer the keynote. e following morning, Dr. Ahmad Bahai, CTO of Texas Instruments, graced the stage to elaborate on data centers and AI. "We are liv- ing in a data economy, so a massive amount of data is available to us, and how to process and translate the information requires a lot of inno- vative approaches (at all levels of hardware and soware)," he said. Bahai emphasized that while the current pace of change and devel- opment is more rapid than it has ever been, it needs to be accelerated. AI will help propel us to those solutions. e final keynote, by IPC CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell, was compelling. He asked, "How can we strike a balance between the growing push for protectionism and the undeniable need for global cooperation?" Mitchell acknowledged our global and political challenges but empha- sized that collaboration is key to innovation, and that innovation is our only way forward. He also cautioned the audience: Embrace AI in your current roles and develop yourselves into what is next—or be le behind. Bullish Outlooks Despite Tariff Talk I spent much of my time midweek in our Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO booth, interviewing exhibitors. Somewhat unex- pectedly, most exhibitors were bullish about the market and their businesses, especially in North America. ey were surprisingly candid about tariffs and uncertain global trade scenar- ios. ey expressed legitimate caution and a watchful posture, but indicated that they have been through this before and are working with their customers to do whatever needs to be done to keep business moving swily forward. Thank You As I look back on another successful IPC APEX EXPO for I-Connect007 and all the friends and customers we spoke to during the week, I want to say a particular thank you to our Real Time With… IPC APEX EXPO 2025 sponsors: Blackfox, Burkle North America, KYZEN, Mycronic, and Technica USA, as well as our showcase sponsors, all4-PCB, IEC, KLA, Mivatek, Schmoll America, and Uyemura—all great companies with superb products and lead- ership. Many of our sponsors have been with us on the IPC APEX EXPO journey for some years. Please know that we appreciate you. Finally, congratulations to IPC for 25 years. e show has evolved and changed in this past quarter-century, but for the better, and I look forward to another great show in 2026. PCB007