It’s Only Common Sense: Stop Pretending Your Customers Are Loyal
Happy’s Tech Talk #44: Memories of the ‘Mystery Systems of the East’
TSMC Fast-Tracks Advanced Chip Technology at Arizona Plant Amid Rising AI Demand
October 27, 2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
TSMC said earlier this month that it’s speeding up the rollout of its most advanced chip technology in the US because of rising AI product demand and Intel’s growing competition, The Register reported.
The company currently produces 4-nanometer (N4) chips for Apple and Nvidia at its first Arizona facility, Fab 21, which began volume production earlier this year. Its second fab, originally slated to produce 3-nanometer (N3) chips in 2028, may now see an upgrade to even more advanced technology.
"We are preparing to upgrade our technologies faster ... to more advanced process technologies in Arizona, given the strong AI-related demand from our customers," TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call in mid-October.
Wei didn’t say if the expedited plan means skipping N3 to go directly to 2-nanometer (N2) or A16. However, this move would mark a significant change for TSMC, which has usually kept its most advanced manufacturing in Taiwan.
The decision comes as American chip makers, including Apple, Nvidia, and AMD, push to produce more components domestically, especially as potential tariffs on imported electronics and growing geopolitical concerns have further spurred demand for U.S.-made chips.
Intel may also be pushing for TSMC to meet its deadlines. The rival chip maker’s forthcoming 2-nanometer-class “18A” process, which features backside power delivery to boost transistor density, is already being manufactured in the U.S. The technology will power Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest processors.
TSMC’s faster timeline suggests a plan to stay ahead in the global AI chip race, as Intel’s foundry division pursues big clients and highlights its US-based production.
Share on:
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
Enhancing Reliability in Harsh Environments
11/18/2025 | Real Time with...SMTAISLB is a leading technology OEM in the energy sector, providing technology, equipment, and services to support oil exploration, drilling, production, and processing. This is big business, and the technology can be complex. Chintan Sanghani—a new voice in SMT007 Magazine—is SLB’s expert in quality and process improvement, and I had the opportunity to meet him while in Chicago in October.
Tesla Weighs Building ‘Gigantic’ Chip Fab to Meet AI Demand
11/17/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTesla CEO Elon Musk said the company will probably need to build a “gigantic” semiconductor fabrication plant to support its expanding artificial intelligence and robotics plans, CNBC reported.
Beyond the Board: Why More Defense Primes Are Moving Toward Rigid-flex for Lighter, More Reliable Systems
11/18/2025 | Jesse Vaughan -- Column: Beyond the BoardOver the past decade, the conversation around PCB innovation in aerospace and defense has often centered on high-density interconnects, advanced materials, and tighter design-to-fabrication collaboration. But the move toward rigid-flex is a quieter shift that has been gaining momentum, and it’s changing how primes and system integrators approach the physical architecture of mission-critical electronics.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
11/14/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007I read an interesting article this week about a breakthrough on building microprocessors to run on microwaves rather than traditional digital circuitry. It cites an academic study that begins, “The development of high-bandwidth applications, including multi-gigabit communication and radar imaging, demands faster processing. However, in the microwave regime, where frequencies exceed clock rates, sampling and computation become challenging. Here we report an integrated microwave neural network for broadband computation and communication.”
IBM Introduces Next-Generation Quantum Processors and Breakthrough Software for Fault-Tolerant Computing
11/12/2025 | IBMAt the annual Quantum Developer Conference, IBM unveiled fundamental progress on its path to delivering both quantum advantage by the end of 2026 and fault-tolerant quantum computing by 2029.