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📈 Data to start your week — Helium special

The Iran War’s unexpected front

Azeem Azhar and Nathan Warren
Mar 23, 2026
∙ Paid
This post originally appeared in Exponential View.

Hi all,

The Iran War has created a chokepoint in the supply of helium, a byproduct of natural gas processing and LNG production that’s used in more than 20 steps of semiconductor fabrication. Headlines are making the helium situation sound apocalyptic for chips, but the reality is more nuanced.

Here’s what’s going on:

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A guest post by
Azeem Azhar
AI and exponential technologies.
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A guest post by
Nathan Warren
Senior Researcher @ Exponential View Exploring emerging technologies and their impact on society.
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