Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) may have to pay a fin of $ 1 bill of $ 1 bill or more to resolve a US export controls related to a chip it made that was used in ai. According to a report by reates.
TSMC did not provide any further comments as it is now ”in [a] Quiet Period, “a spekesperson for the chipmaker said in an emailed statement to techcrunch.
It’s the latest development in a situation that first came to light in late 2024 involving TSMC, Huawei, and Xiamen Sophgo Technologies, A Chinese Chip Designer. Sophgo is An affiliate of bitmain, a bitcoin mining equipment supplierAnd TSMC is the World’s Biggest Contract Chipmaker.
Reports At the time indicated that a significant quantity of TSMC’s Export-Controlled Ai Chip Dies Went into huawei‘S Mass-Produced Ai Accelerator, the Ascend 910B Ai Processor,
In nesting-doll fashion, it’s alleged that TSMC’s Chip is Built INTO Sophgo’s Chip, and Sophgo’s Chip is subsequently Built INTO THE ASECEND 901B, per the report,
This is important not just because of expenses of expenses but trust Huawei’s Multi-Chip Processor is Considered the Most Advanced in its class to be made in china. It’s estimated that hundreds of thosands of these processors were produced with these components.
“TSMC is a law-Abiding company and we are committed to complete all applicable rules and regulations, include applicable expert controls,” TSMC said in a statement. “In compliance with the regulatory requirements, tsmc has not supplied to Huawei Since Mid-SEPTEMBER 2020. IF we have any reason to belly there Ensure Compliance, Including Conducting Investigations and Proactively Communication with Relevant Parties, Including Customers and Regulatory Authorities, AS NECESSARY. Commerce Department Regarding the matter in the report and continue to support. “
A Timeline of TSMC’s Chip Shipments to Chinese Firms
October 2024
TechinsightsA Tech Research Firm in Ottawa, Canada, Disassembled Huawei’s 910B AI Processor and Discovered A TSMC-Based Chipset Inside, per reutersThe chipset resumbled one made by Sophggo. Sophgo Claimed That the US COMMERCE DAPARTMENT’s Investigation Into Potential Connections Between TSMC and Huawei does not involve sophgo or its product. Sophgo has never had any direct or indirect business dealings with huawei, it added.
November 2024
The US department of commerce Ordered TSMC to Halt Shipments of advanced chips to chinese customers, which inclined sophgo.
December 2024
The US Commerce Department Considered adding sophgo to the US blacklist,
January 2025
The US then added Over Twenty Chinese CompaniesIncluding zhipu ai, which specializes in developing large language models, and sophgo.