Analyst Ben Bajarin describes Intel as insurance for American chip companies against geopolitical risks tied to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). Apple, AMD, Nvidia, and Qualcomm rely on TSMC for advanced semiconductors, but Intel serves as the only American alternative in case supply chains face disruption. Taiwan produces more than 90 percent of the world's cutting-edge chips, and TSMC controls a major share of that output.
TSMC plans to expand American production by moving 2-nanometer processes ahead of schedule, and the company has increased investments to $300 billion to establish the United States as a manufacturing hub. The shift from Asian to Western production requires years of work, and the government wants Taiwan to split output evenly between America and Taiwan. Intel must deliver competitive foundry services through upcoming technologies, such as 18A and 14A nodes, to become a viable alternative to TSMC for fabless chip designers.
TSMC plans to expand American production by moving 2-nanometer processes ahead of schedule, and the company has increased investments to $300 billion to establish the United States as a manufacturing hub. The shift from Asian to Western production requires years of work, and the government wants Taiwan to split output evenly between America and Taiwan. Intel must deliver competitive foundry services through upcoming technologies, such as 18A and 14A nodes, to become a viable alternative to TSMC for fabless chip designers.
