SEOUL, Dec. 12 (Asia Today) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, is considering producing artificial intelligence-related semiconductors at its Kumamoto plant in Japan, according to industry sources in Beijing.
TSMC operates the site through Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc., known as JASM, a joint venture with Japanese partners.
Sources said TSMC has begun coordinating the potential introduction of4-nanometer manufacturing tools for AI applications at the Kumamoto facility. The company's first plant in the prefecture, which began operations late last year, is producing chips in the 12 nm to 28 nm range for uses including automobiles, the sources added.
JASM's second plant, scheduled to start operations in 2027, was originally expected to produce chips in the 6 nm to 40 nm range for communications device sand other products. But with global electric-vehicle sales slowing, the demand recovery for some semiconductors has also been delayed, the sources said, leaving Plant 1 below its targeted utilization rate.
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