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TSMC approves $1 billion investment in OpenAI and Anthropic

Apple's chip manufacturing partner TSMC has won board approval to invest up to $1 billion in the AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic, plus a new investment vehicle for the semiconductor sector.

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Published 1 min read

Illustration of a semiconductor wafer beside logos representing AI companies and chip manufacturing

Key takeaways

  • TSMC's board approved up to $1 billion in AI investments, split between OpenAI and Anthropic.
  • Each company can receive up to $500 million in share purchases.
  • A further $500 million is earmarked for a new company investing in the chip sector.
  • OpenAI and Anthropic are developing their own processors and compete with Apple for TSMC capacity.
In this article
  1. What TSMC approved
  2. Why the ties matter
  3. What it means for Apple

What TSMC approved

Apple chip supplier TSMC has received board approval to invest up to $1 billion in artificial intelligence companies, according to MacRumors. The plan allows the company to buy up to $500 million of shares in OpenAI and the same amount in Anthropic.

The board also authorised up to $500 million to set up a separate company that will put money into chip businesses and the broader technology sector.

Why the ties matter

TSMC builds the custom chips designed by Apple, while OpenAI and Anthropic are both working on processors of their own. The investments therefore deepen TSMC's relationship with firms that compete with Apple for its most advanced manufacturing capacity.

The move also strengthens TSMC's position in the AI industry more broadly. MacRumors notes that OpenAI is rumoured to be developing hardware that would compete directly with Apple, though this remains unconfirmed.

What it means for Apple

Illustration: Apple logo, OpenAI logo, Anthropic logo, AI and the labels TSMC, OpenAI, Anthropic

The decision links Apple's main chipmaker more closely to companies racing to build their own silicon. Readers should watch how capacity is allocated, since OpenAI and Anthropic could become rivals for TSMC's leading-edge production lines.

No timeline for the investments was given in the report.

Sources

  1. Apple Chip Supplier TSMC Approves $1 Billion AI InvestmentApple Rumors

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