This is the greatest time ever for semiconductors, says CEO of key equipment supplier

Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson said Thursday the semiconductor industry is experiencing what he believes is its strongest period ever, driven by accelerating demand for artificial intelligence. "It is the greatest time in the history of the industry and for Applied Materials," Dickerson said on CNBC's " Mad Money ." "AI is driving incredible computing demand." Applied Materials is one of the key suppliers of equipment used to manufacture advanced semiconductors. Other companies in the semicap equipment group include Lam Research and KLA Corp . While not as well-known as the chip designers or foundry operators, such as Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. , they are critical cogs in the industry supply chain. Shares of Applied Materials have surged roughly 178% over the past year, and Dickerson argued the momentum is far from over. The company has visibility into future demand as customers race to build more AI infrastructure. "We're guiding for tremendous growth," he said. "This inflection is going to go on for a very long time." Dickerson pushed back on concerns that the semiconductor industry could return to a traditional boom-and-bust cycle, arguing demand has become more durable and predictable in the AI era. "We have really unprecedented visibility in terms of our business," he said, adding that customer conversations are already centered on demand in 2027 and 2028. …