Intel, TSMC Tentatively Agree To Form Chipmaking Joint Venture
- Reference: 0176917591
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/04/03/2151215/intel-tsmc-tentatively-agree-to-form-chipmaking-joint-venture
- Source link:
[2]non-paywalled source
. Intel and other U.S. semiconductor companies would hold the majority of shares in the proposed venture. Instead of capital investment, TSMC has discussed sharing chipmaking methods and training Intel personnel.The talks face internal opposition from some Intel executives concerned about widespread layoffs and the abandonment of Intel's own technology, according to the report. The deal could help TSMC neutralize a struggling competitor while potentially giving Taiwan more leverage with the U.S. administration, which recently imposed tariffs on Taiwanese goods excluding chips.
[1] https://www.theinformation.com/articles/intel-tsmc-tentatively-agree-form-chipmaking-joint-venture
[2] https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/03/intel-and-tsmc-are-reportedly-launching-a-joint-chipmaking-venture/
Taiwan is in mortal danger (Score:3)
If TSMC replicates its top-level chip making factories in the USA.
The presence in Taiwan of the only factory in the world capable of making the leading-edge performance chips today (smallest process fabs) is probably a key reason why:
a) China doesn't draw up immediate invasion plans. - China is independently working on replicating TSMC but apparently it will take like a decade, so they themselves are still somewhat dependent on TSMC remaining existing in a viable Taiwan. Plus China knows that the rest of the world would be really monumentally pissed by the loss of the best chips for a full decade or so during a messy invasion.
b) The USA despite Mr. T.'s recent denials, probably still sees Taiwan as an essential ally, critical to US and the world's leading-tech economy.
It is hard to overstate how big a moat TSMC has. They invested many many billions and more than 20 years evolving and constantly innovating to be the only place capable of fabricating the best chips.
Re: (Score:2)
And separate from that there's still the competition side. i love TSMC, but even if they operate stuff in the US it's not great to have a global monopoly on a critical industry.
I'd much rather see Intel continue to struggle and bite at their heels than be absorbed if it's at all possible. I'm not a semi-conductor industry expert but AMD struggled through for years and years of being inferior by most measures (especially peak performance and power ) in various sectors. And while i understand this chip pl
Quick! We need a new marketing slogan! (Score:2)
Shall we go with "That's the power of Intel (and 20% TSMC) Inside" ?
Re: Quick! We need a new marketing slogan! (Score:1)
Lolz!!!
Serious question (Score:2)
> The talks face internal opposition from some Intel executives concerned about widespread layoffs and the abandonment of Intel's own technology, according to the report.
I get the layoff concerns. But it seems to me TSMC's current tech runs circles around Intel's. Does Intel actually have some (apparently well-hidden) superior tech of some sort?
Re: (Score:1)
The high NA EUV tech from ASML is beyond TSMC.