ASML staff protest Elon Musk appearance at tech conference

Elon Musk is scheduled to address employees of the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant ASML at a closed-door technology conference on Thursday, June 11, 2026, amid internal backlash from some staff over his invitation. The virtual appearance, confirmed by the company, will feature Musk in conversation with ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet, focusing on the ambitious Terafab semiconductor project and broader topics including artificial intelligence, robotics, and space exploration.

The Terafab initiative, a joint venture between Musk's companies SpaceX and Tesla first announced in March 2026, aims to construct a cutting-edge chip fabrication facility in Texas. The project's initial phases are estimated to cost at least $55 billion, with potential expansion investments cited as high as $119 billion. The proposed factory would target production of 2-nanometer chips, among the most advanced semiconductors available, to supply computing power for AI, robotics, and orbital data centers.

ASML's role is critical to this vision, as the company holds a monopoly on manufacturing the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines required to produce such advanced chips. Industry analysts note that...