For years, Apple had the upper hand.
It designed some of the most powerful chips on the market.
TSMC manufactured them.
And the alliance seemed perfect.
Until artificial intelligence changed the game.
Now Apple is looking for alternatives to TSMC alongside Intel and Samsung in the United States. And that says much more about the tech industry than it seems.
What's really going on?
TSMC is the company that manufactures many of the world's most advanced chips.
Although many people don't know its name, behind its factories are technologies we use every day:
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iPhone
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artificial intelligence
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graphics cards
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data centers
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advanced processors
For years, Apple was one of its most important clients.
But the massive arrival of AI has driven chip demand to completely new levels.
What is NVIDIA and why is everyone talking about it?
NVIDIA started out known for its graphics cards for video games.
Today it is one of the most important companies in the tech world.
Many artificial intelligence systems run thanks to its chips:
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ChatGPT
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AI image generation
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advanced servers
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supercomputers
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data centers
And manufacturing all those chips requires a gigantic capacity.
Much of it depends on TSMC.
So, why is Apple looking at Intel and Samsung?
Because the industry no longer wants to depend on a single manufacturer.
Artificial intelligence is consuming more production capacity than ever before.
And when even Apple starts looking for alternatives, it means the pressure on the industry is enormous.
That's where Intel and Samsung start to gain weight.
Especially now that the United States wants to manufacture more technology domestically and reduce its dependence on Asia.
The new tech war is no longer about mobile phones
The real battle is elsewhere:
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artificial intelligence
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virtual reality
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autonomous cars
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data centers
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technological infrastructure
Chips have become the foundation of practically everything.
And the more AI grows, the more important it becomes to control who can manufacture them.
The most interesting thing of all
A few years ago, having Apple as a main client seemed enough to dominate the industry.
Now NVIDIA consumes so much manufacturing capacity that even Apple is looking for alternatives.
TSMC continues to lead.
The difference is that now everyone is rushing to the same place.
