TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan took another step in strengthening its key role in producing advanced semiconductor chips used for artificial intelligence Thursday with the inauguration of a new factory by Siliconware Precision Industries Co .
The opening ceremony of the Tan-Ke factory in the central city of Taichung was attended by Jensen Huang, CEO and co-founder of California-based Nvidia Corp., a world leader in chip design AI, thereby strengthening the partnership of companies in the production of advanced AI chips.
SPIL is a leader in semiconductor packaging and testing.
“The technology we work on is becoming more and more sophisticated. Chips are becoming more and more complex and packaging technology will need to evolve as well. What’s even more exciting is the integration of silicon photonics, which allows us to connect multiple packages into one massive system,” Huang said.
He said Nvidia’s partnership with SPIL would help push the boundaries of innovation in the years to come.
Huang also addressed the broader implications of AI development, saying that AI combined with robotics will bring enormous benefits to Taiwan’s world-leading electronics industry.
SPIL expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying Huang’s visit highlighted the strong relationship between the two companies.
Huang was also scheduled to visit Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd., or TSMC, the world’s largest independent contract semiconductor manufacturer.
Huang’s visits reflect the critical role Taiwan plays in the global AI supply chain and highlight the growing importance of partnerships between technology leaders like Nvidia and major Taiwanese players in the semiconductor industry.
The Biden administration has proposed a new framework for exports of advanced computer chips used to develop AI, aiming to balance national security concerns with the economic interests of producers and other countries.
Part of the motivation is to make it “more difficult for China to circumvent existing restrictions that were focused on China,” said Johannes Himmelreich, a professor who studies AI policy at Syracuse University.
Microchip makers have criticized the policy, calling it hastily crafted and potentially harmful to the industry.
Because the proposed framework includes a 120-day comment period, the new Republican administration could ultimately determine the rules for foreign sales of advanced computer chips designed primarily by California companies such as Nvidia and AMD but manufactured in countries like Taiwan and South Korea.
