US restrictions on semiconductor tech are spurring the move.
Is this all 7 nm semiconductors or just “AI” training/inference processors?
From the article:
TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, told Chinese customers it would no longer manufacture AI chips at advanced process nodes of 7 nanometers or smaller as of this coming Monday, three people familiar with the matter said.
I get that, but the article headline implied all semiconductors.
China (SMIC) can already manufacture 7nm chips, as shown in Huawei’s Kirin 9000 SOCs. They are also expected to have the ability to mass produce 5nm by end of this year. So I’m not sure if this achieves anything.
The appetite for 7nm ICs may be greater than the domestic ability to supply. Just because they can make 10,000 may not mean they can make 10,000,000.
