Lisa Su - the woman who helped revive AMD

Lisa Su, CEO of chip manufacturer Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - Photo: Womensagenda

This is Time's second annual list, honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to shaping the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI).

Problem solver

Lisa Su's inclusion in Time's "Innovator" list underscores her strategic vision and exceptional execution in leading AMD through crucial turning points.

Since taking office in 2014, she has been the first woman to lead a major semiconductor company – Su has guided AMD through a difficult period, dramatically reviving the company from the brink of bankruptcy. Su was the first to address the problem through product innovation.

According to Business Insider, she shifted AMD's focus from personal computers to high-performance computing, gaming, and AI, helping the company regain its market position.

One of her greatest successes was the launch of the Ryzen chip line and Radeon graphics products, which have revolutionized the technology industry.

These products not only help AMD compete directly with major rivals like Intel and Nvidia, but also create breakthroughs in performance and value.

When she took over the company in 2014, AMD's stock price was only around $3; now it's at $130, bringing the company's market capitalization close to $230 billion. AMD's Q2 2024 revenue reached $5.8 billion, a 9% increase year-over-year, according to Time.

Despite concerns that AI is being "overhyped," or even entering a technological bubble as warned by some experts, Ms. Su remains confident that AI will be the biggest revolution in technology.

She stated, "Every 10 years, we witness a major technological breakthrough, whether it's the emergence of the internet, the personal computer, the mobile phone, or cloud technology. I believe AI will be even bigger than all of that, because of how it truly impacts our lives, productivity, business, and research." She emphasized that AI will be present across the company's entire product portfolio.

Over the next five years, she predicts AI will help accelerate research and improve the quality of healthcare. In particular, even more powerful chips in the future will be designed with AI support.

Great inspiration from my mother.

Born in 1969 in Tainan, Taiwan, Lisa Su immigrated to the United States with her family when she was just 3 years old. Growing up in Queens, New York, she developed an early passion for machinery and technology, often taking apart her brother's remote-controlled cars to understand how they worked.

From a young age, she showed exceptional aptitude in mathematics and science , but her parents seemed to prefer a career in the arts rather than engineering.

Encouraged by her parents, Ms. Su began playing the piano at the age of 7 and practiced for hours every day. In addition, she commuted four hours daily by public transport to attend Bronx High School for Science, one of the most prestigious public high schools in the United States.

When she decided to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), her parents were almost disappointed.

"Perhaps my mother wanted me to be a pianist rather than an engineer," Su shared with Atxwoman in 2020. "But I didn't get into Juilliard (a prestigious art school in New York). I got into MIT." She later earned her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering from MIT in the early 1990s.

Ms. Su deeply cherishes and loves her parents for always encouraging her to reach her full potential.

"My mother is a great inspiration in my life," she said. "Even though she doesn't speak perfect English, she runs an import-export business, connecting manufacturers in Taiwan with transportation companies. She built a multi-million dollar business and has always been by my side."

There are things that are far more important.

As the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, frequently traveling the world for work, Ms. Su was still willing to stay at the hospital day and night for three months when her mother was seriously ill in 2019.

"Fortunately, we got through that difficult period," Ms. Su recalled. "It was an unforgettable experience. I had a wonderful team, and I continued to work from the hospital through online meetings."

"That's one of those moments when you realize there are so many more important things. No one can support your family better than you. Whoever you are, you have to be there when the doctor walks in."

She also shared that if there is an afterlife, she will dedicate her time to improving the healthcare system.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lisa-su-nguoi-phu-nu-giup-hoi-sinh-amd-20240928084058459.htm