AI Gossip

Rumor: OpenAI’s new Jalapeno AI inference chip will be made by TSMC on 3nm, while the Jalapeno2 will use A16 and CoWoS advanced packaging, media report. $TSM $AVGO #OpenAI #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt

Micron has been the biggest foreign investor in Taiwan this year through end-May, US$4.33 billion (NT$138 billion) according to government approvals data. In all, US$8.43 billion in foreign investments have been approved by Taiwan, up 53.8% versus 2025. TSMC has been the biggest outward investor, moving $30 billion to TSMC Global Ltd. in the British Virgin Islands. AI server maker Wiwynn won approval for its $500 million USA investment. $MU $TSM #Wiwynn #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt

Apple and Marvell both plan to tap TSMC’s next-gen A14 node, which ramps up to mass production in 2028, giving TSMC anchor clients in AI data center and high end smartphone chips, media report, adding Marvell is already in talks with TSMC to use A14, and has made prepayments. Apple will design the A22 Pro chip for A14, the report says, citing unnamed supply chain sources, adding A20 and A20 Pro will be on N2, and A21 will be on N2P. A14 will be TSMC’s 2nd generation nanosheet (GAA) chip process, and compared to N2, boosts performance 10%-15% at same power consumption, is 25%-30% more power efficient at the same performance level, and logic density increases by over 20%. $TSM $AAPL $MRVL Source: Dan Nystedt

TSMC is raising prices 5% - 10% on all leading-edge 7nm and below chip manufacturing processes (N7/5/4/3/2 etc.), which account for ~75% of TSMC’s total revenue, reports @tculpan on Culpium, adding: “Since early this year, business development and sales teams at TSMC have been told by senior leadership that they need to find ways to charge more, according to multiple sources…” $TSM $INTC $SSNLF #Samsung #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt

Nvidia Vera Rubin-based server racks will start at US$3 million to $7M each, and Big Cloud will pay for fear of losing the AI War, media report, noting deep pockets are a competitive advantage. Server makers used to earn 10% margins when racks cost much less (US$200,000), but no one will pay that on a $3M rack, so gross margins have been seriously diluted. The report cites unnamed supply chain sources. $NVDA $AMZN $GOOGL $META $MSFT #VeraRubin #AIserver Source: Dan Nystedt

MediaTek won primary orders for Google’s TPU v9 chips by delivering a custom 336G SerDes solution after Broadcom’s more ambitious 448G SerDes missed the production timeline, media report, citing unnamed industry sources. Google had originally planned to adopt 448G but switched to a 336G transitional spec due to signal integrity, power, and thermal challenges. The sources note the DSP required for 448G optical modules may need a 2nm process, delaying volume production until 2028–2029. $GOOGL $AVGO #Mediatek #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt

TSMC’s revenue soared 30.1% year-on-year in May to a record high NT$417.0 billion (US$13.2 B), as AI momentum continued to rise amid robust global demand.

The previous all-time high was NT$415.2 billion in March.

TSMC did not provide a US$ figure. The figure is based on its forex guidance for the 2nd quarter. 1/3 $TSM $AAPL $NVDA $AMD $AVGO $QCOM #semiconductors #semiconductorSource: Dan Nystedt

US chip design giant Marvell raising its outlook on strong AI demand will benefit supplier TSMC, media report, noting Marvell forecast current quarter revenue at US$2.7 billion +/- 5%, above consensus, and full year revenue up 40% to near $11.5 billion, versus prior view $11B. And raised FY2028 revenue target to $16.5B. $MRVL $TSM #semiconductors $ASX Source: Dan Nystedt

ASE’s advanced semiconductor packaging & testing revenue will double this year amid severe capacity shortages due to AI-related orders, and its US$8.5 billion capex forecast for 2026 “will likely need to be revised up again,” said COO Tien Wu, media report, adding ASE is evaluating price hikes. ASE now has 15 plants under construction, and plans to build 2 more in the US, adding to the 2 already there. 1/2 $ASX $AMKR #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt

Taiwan’s April export orders rose 48.1% year-on-year to US$87.45 billion, beating the 45% expected and the 15th consecutive month of increases (YoY) amid strong orders from the US, up 62.6%, and ICT (tech, comms) products, up 89.7%, media report, adding the figure fell 4% from March. The US accounted for 37.6% of all orders, followed by ASEAN at 20.5%, and China/Hong Kong at a 17.5% share. $TSM $UMC $ASX #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt

Qualcomm’s Dragonfly AI data center platform will benefit Taiwan’s 2nd biggest chip foundry, UMC, more than TSMC, media report, due to its expertise in power integration, including power management (PMIC) chips, on-wafer inductors, Deep Trench Capacitors (DTC), and interposers, while TSMC is absent from Qualcomm’s 35 partner ecosystem list. Taiwan AI server giants are all included, Foxconn, Quanta, Wistron, Pegatron, Compal, Inventec, and other parts suppliers, Delta, more. $QCOM $UMC $TSM #AIserver #semiconductor Source: Dan Nystedt

Elon Musk’s TeraFab is a major project and new opportunity that will test ASML’s supply chain, said ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet, comparing the size to the millions-of-wafers DRAM fab projects going on in South Korea, in an interview with Bloomberg. 1/3 $SPCX $ASML $SSNLF $HXSCL $AMAT $TOELY $LRCX #terafab #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt

Apple plans to debut the new iPhone 18-series in September, and 1st foldable iPhone in early 2027, media report, extending the busy season for Taiwan suppliers TSMC (chips), Foxconn (assembly), etc. Apple’s foldable iPhone, 11 million units expected for 2027, base ~US$2,000, top version ~$2,200, likely out in time to disrupt Samsung Galaxy S27 launch in February. Media cite recent comments by key suppliers Largan (lens), Shin Zu Shing (hinges) about a busier than normal end-2026 for a major new device launch to launch in early 2027. $AAPL $TSM #Foxconn #ShinZuShingSource: Dan Nystedt

TSMC’s first CoPoS pilot line equipment is already being installed at subsidiary VisEra’s plant in Longtan, north Taiwan, with much equipment from CoWoS advanced packaging lines, but a few key differences, media report, citing unnamed supply chain sources, who say earliest time mass production likely 2029:
-Lam Research edged out a big US rival for a spot on the first demo line, while V5 Technologies and Scientech also beat rivals into the line.
-The time from first delivery of a demo through validation and mass production is expected to take a year-and-a-half.
-CoPoS is so new that equipment suppliers only a few demo machines ready, a sign mass production remains far off. 1/2 $TSM $LRCX $AMAT $TOELY #semiconductors Source: Dan Nystedt