The world's largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) company, Taiwan's TSMC, is reportedly discussing with AI leader Nvidia the plan to produce the latest AI chip 'Blackwell' in the United States, according to major foreign media citing sources on the 5th (local time).
According to sources, TSMC has begun preparations to start Blackwell production early next year at its Arizona plant in the United States. Blackwell is a new semiconductor unveiled by Nvidia last March, gaining attention as Nvidia's next-generation growth driver fueled by the AI accelerator boom. Until now, it has been produced at TSMC's plants in Taiwan.
Earlier, in April, TSMC announced plans to expand its investment in the U.S. to $65 billion and build a third semiconductor production plant in Arizona utilizing 2-nanometer (1 nm = one billionth of a meter) process technology by 2030. The first plant, nearing completion, is scheduled to begin full-scale semiconductor production next year. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Commerce has also confirmed subsidy support worth $6.6 billion (approximately 9.2 trillion KRW) under the CHIPS and Science Act (CSA).
However, sources indicated that the TSMC Arizona plant does not support the advanced packaging process essential for Blackwell production, called 'Chip on Wafer on Substrate (CoWoS).' Therefore, even if Blackwell is produced in the U.S., only the front-end wafer manufacturing process will be conducted there, while back-end processes such as testing and packaging will be carried out in Taiwan, they explained.
Meanwhile, sources also revealed that the TSMC Arizona plant has already secured Apple and AMD as customers. Both companies reportedly declined to comment when foreign media requested confirmation on whether they had signed contracts with TSMC.
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