TSMC Unveils A14 Chip Technology: A Leap Forward for AI and Mobile Computing

TSMC shows off new tech for stitching together bigger, faster chips

SANT CLARA, California, April 23 (Reuters) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (2330.TW), opens new tab on Wednesday unveiled technology for making faster chips and putting them together in dinner-plate sized packages that will boost performance needed for artificial intelligence applications. It said its A14 manufacturing technology will arrive in 2028 and will be able to produce processors that are 15% faster at the same power consumption as its N2 chips due to enter production this year or will use 30% less power at the same speed as the N2 chips. The world's biggest contract manufacturer, which counts Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), opens new tab as clients, added that its forthcoming "System on Wafer-X" will be able to weave together at least 16 large computing chips, as well as memory chips and fast optical interconnections and new technology to deliver thousands of watts of power to the chips. By comparison, Nvidia's current flagship graphics processing units consist of two large chips stitched together and its "Rubin Ultra" GPUs due out in 2027 will stitch four together. TSMC plans to build two factories to carry out the work near its chip plants in Arizona. Intel, which is working to build out a contract manufacturing business to compete with TSMC, is due to announce new manufacturing technologies next week. Last year, it claimed it would overtake TSMC in making the world's fastest chips. Demand for massive AI chips that are packaged together has shifted the battleground between the two firms from simply making fast chips to integrating them - a complex task that requires working closely with customers. "They're both neck and neck. You're not going to pick one over the other because they have the technological lead," said Dan Hutcheson, vice chair at analyst firm TechInsights. "You're going to pick one over the other for different reasons." Customer service, pricing and how much wafer allocation can be obtained are likely to influence a company's decision about which chip manufacturer would be best for them. Reporting by Stephen Nellis and Max Cherney in Santa Clara, California; Editing by Edwina Gibbs Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics:Artificial Intelligence Max A. Cherney Thomson Reuters Max A. Cherney is a correspondent for Reuters based in San Francisco, where he reports on the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence. He joined Reuters in 2023 and has previously worked for Barron's magazine and its sister publication, MarketWatch. Cherney graduated from Trent University with a degree in history.

TSMC to begin 1.4nm A14 chip production in 2028, expands 3nm family with N3P and N3X

In brief: TSMC has announced that its A14 (1.4nm-class) chip manufacturing process will enter production in 2028, following the rollout of its 2nm technology later this year and building on its current lineup of 3nm-class chips. The company says the A14 node represents a significant leap in both performance and efficiency. The roadmap was unveiled this week at the North American Technology Symposium. As part of the announcement, TSMC revealed plans for an intermediary A16 node, slated for release in late 2026. This node will serve as a stepping stone toward the more transformative A14 process. A key highlight of the A14 generation is NanoFlex Pro, an enhanced transistor architecture that enables chip designers to fine-tune configurations for optimal power, performance, and area based on the specific requirements of each application. While TSMC hasn't disclosed all the technical details of NanoFlex Pro, it's expected to build on the company's existing FinFlex architecture, which allows designers to combine different standard cell types - such as high-performance, low-power, or area-efficient cells - within a single block. NanoFlex Pro may offer even finer-grained control, potentially at the transistor level, or introduce smarter design tools to accelerate chip optimization. Meanwhile, production is already ramping up for TSMC's third-generation 3nm-class process, N3P, which officially entered mass production in Q4 2024. As an optical shrink of N3E, N3P is now powering high-performance chips for clients in both data centers and advanced consumer technology sectors. Next in line is N3X, expected to reach volume production in the second half of this year. Tailored for maximum frequency, N3X delivers an additional five percent performance gain over N3P and supports voltages up to 1.2V, an unusually high threshold for 3nm nodes. This makes it particularly well-suited for client CPUs and AI accelerators that prioritize raw speed over power efficiency. TSMC Deputy COO Kevin Zhang noted that while smartphones once led the way in adopting new nodes, the AI boom has reversed that trend. Today, AI chipmakers are the first to embrace the latest and most advanced process technologies. With N3P in full production, N3X on track, and A14 on the horizon, TSMC is doubling down on its strategy of offering multiple node enhancements to extend the lifecycle of its leading-edge fabs and customer IP. All of this is underpinned by a massive $40 billion in capital expenditures for 2025, reinforcing the foundry's position as the premier choice for the world's most advanced semiconductors.

TSMC chips to hit 1.4nm in 2028, with confusing name confirmed - 9to5Mac

The iPhone maker is generally first in line for the company's most advanced chipmaking capabilities, so we can expect the chips - slightly confusingly dubbed A14 - to debut in 2028 iPhones ... Up until around 1997, the sizes of chip processes referred to physical size of transistor gates in nanometers. Since then, the actual numbers are more marketing speak than anything, but it is the case that each process generation is smaller than the last, and that TSMC has for a great many years led the race toward ever smaller processes. But the convention of using nanometers to describe the process size has led to a slight naming issue for TSMC. All was fine when it was N7, N5, N3, and N2 - but we heard back in 2023 that the company would adopt a new naming convention once it moved below 2nm. Specifically, it would swap the N prefix for an A, and 1.4nm chips would be labelled A14. This of course conflicts with the naming of Apple processors. But the company has now confirmed this, stating that the first A14 chip will be made in 2028. TSMC today unveiled its next cutting-edge logic process technology, A14, at the Company's North America Technology Symposium. Representing a significant advancement from TSMC's industry-leading N2 process, A14 is designed to drive AI transformation forward by delivering faster computing and greater power efficiency. It says the new generation of chips will allow even greater AI performance in particular. Compared with the N2 process, which is about to enter volume production later this year, A14 will offer up to 15% speed improvement at the same power, or up to 30% power reduction at the same speed, along with more than 20% increase in logic density [...] It's also expected to enhance smartphones by improving their on-board AI capabilities, making them even smarter. TSMC always has limited production capacity for its latest processes, and Apple typically books 100% of that capacity for its own use in the launch year.

New TSMC 1.4nm chip is destined for the iPhone 19

TSMC has confirmed the existence of a 1.4-nanometer process, that will be used to make future Apple Silicon chips starting in 2028. The performance improvements of Apple's hardware is largely down to improvements in its chip designs, with newer versions getting faster over time. Another component is how the chips themselves are made, which is down to the efforts of Apple chip partner TSMC. On Wednesday, TSMC used its North America Technology Symposium to unveil its A14 process. An improvement on the 2-nanometer N2 process, the A14 is anticipated by TSMC to help push forward artificial intelligence on servers, as well as on smartphones like the iPhone. Currently, the N2 process is set to enter volume production later in 2025, and is expected to be used in the iPhone 17 Pro this fall. Compared to N2, the A14 process will provide a 15% speed improvement at the same power consumption rate, or up to 30% in power reduction for comparable performance. There's also a 20% increase in logic density -- the amount of transistors and miniaturized circuitry it can squeeze into a space. While TSMC doesn't specify what clients will use a specific announced technology or process, it is certain that Apple will be using it in its future chip efforts. Apple is a major client of TSMC, and uses its newest perfected processes in its A-series and Apple Silicon chips. Based on TSMC's claim that A14-process chips will enter mass production in 2028, that means the first Apple hardware to use it could be the iPhone 19 generation. Thanks to TSMC's naming choice this time, it could confusingly mean that TSMC will use the A14 process to produce Apple's A21 Pro chip. That does all hinge on whether TSMC can actually perfect the process in time. Based on TSMC's current assessment of smooth progress in terms of yield performance "ahead of schedule," it seems to be a very likely prospect for the iPhone's future processing needs.

Chipmaker TSMC's new A14 process will apparently offer a '15% speed improvement' but our GPUs won't be made on it for a while

TSMC, the world's biggest chipmaker, has just announced another process node which will almost certainly, amongst an undoubted slew of AI chips, be used to make some of our gaming GPUs and CPUs in the future. This next-gen process is 'A14', meaning 14 angstroms or 1.4 nanometres or really, really small. This was announced yesterday at TSMC's North America Technology Symposium, and the company says the process "is designed to drive AI transformation forward by delivering faster computing and greater power efficiency." TSMC was already the world's biggest chipmaker even before all this AI business started to really kick off, but ever since then, it's a company name, alongside Nvidia, that's on a ton of people's lips. Naturally, then, talk of its upcoming process nodes will be of interest to many people, but we PC gamers can throw our hats into that pool of interested onlookers, too. That's because TSMC makes lots of the chips that end up in some of the best gaming CPUs and best graphics cards, whether from AMD, Nvidia, or even Intel. Currently, for instance, Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs are made predominantly on TSMC's 4 nm node, and the same goes for AMD's Ryzen 9000-series processors. Intel's Arrow Lake chips look to now be made exclusively by TSMC, too, ever since Intel killed its 20A process last year. The newly announced A14 node is planned for 2028. Compared with its upcoming N2 process (set for later this year), TSMC says "A14 will offer up to 15% speed improvement at the same power, or up to 30% power reduction at the same speed, along with more than 20% increase in logic density." Although it's a few years away, I can't help but get a little excited about new processes. That's primarily because we've seen with the RTX 50-series GPUS just how unexciting a new GPU generation can be if it doesn't come off the back of a new process node (the RTX 50 series is on the same process as the RTX 40 series). That being said, Nvidia doesn't usually use bleeding-edge nodes for its GPUs, and we'll be more likely to see AMD and Apple chips made using A14 to begin with. A14 won't have backside power delivery until 2029, either, according to our colleagues at Tom's Hardware. Backside power delivery essentially moves power interconnects to the underside of the chip, reducing inference and the distance that power has to travel, thereby increasing efficiency and performance. We expect to see backside power delivery (AKA 'Super Power Rail') from TSMC first with A16 in 2026. Intel's ahead in this game, however, as its 18A process already has backside power delivery and is ready to go as of two months ago. As for whether this A14 production will also make an appearance in the US, as well as from TSMC's Taiwan fabs, it seems like it might. I'm basing this on the company's recent earnings call, in which the company claimed that six fabs are planned in Arizona: "In that six fab, the 2-nanometer will be a major node, and that's what I say, 30% will be there. As time goes by, after the 2-nanometer will be 1.4 and 1.0, that has not been discussed yet." This was in response to a question about what percentage of future leading nodes will come from the US vs from Taiwan, and to my ears it seems like TSMC is saying 1.4 and 1.0 will come from the US, but the percentage hasn't been discussed yet. Whatever the case, here's to some healthy progress in process nodes across the board, whether from TSMC, Intel, or anyone else. Architectural and AI changes aside, raw performance increases are a direct result of transistor density, and we can all get behind that.

TSMC Unveils A14 Process for AI Advancements

At the TSMC North America Technology Symposium, the company revealed its latest innovation, the A14 process. Set to begin production in 2028, the A14 aims to provide a major boost to AI technology by improving computing speed and reducing power consumption. The process is designed to offer a 15% increase in speed or up to a 30% reduction in power usage, depending on the needs of the application. The A14 also provides a 20% increase in logic density, which will be beneficial for more efficient AI processing. The A14 is built on TSMC's nanosheet transistor technology, which provides enhanced power efficiency and greater flexibility in design. The process is expected to help advance various industries, including AI, smartphones, automotive, and IoT. Alongside the A14, TSMC also introduced other technologies aimed at improving computing power, such as their CoWoS technology, which will integrate high-bandwidth memory with cutting-edge logic processes. The company also presented its new System-on-Wafer (SoW) technology, which significantly increases computing power in a compact size. As part of its strategy to advance AI capabilities, TSMC is focusing on providing solutions that meet the growing demands of industries like high-performance computing and automotive. By delivering more power-efficient solutions, the company is preparing for the future of technology, making it well-positioned to support the rapid development of next-gen devices. TSMC's technological advancements are expected to have a significant impact on AI, mobile computing, and automotive systems in the coming years. Source: TSMC

TSMC shows off new tech for stitching together bigger, faster chips

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co on Wednesday unveiled technology for making faster chips and putting them together in dinner-plate sized packages that will boost performance needed for artificial intelligence applications. It said its A14 manufacturing technology will arrive in 2028 and will be able to produce processors that are 15% faster at the same power consumption as its N2 chips due to enter production this year or will use 30% less power at the same speed as the N2 chips. The world's biggest contract manufacturer, which counts Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices as clients, added that its forthcoming "System on Wafer-X" will be able to weave together at least 16 large computing chips, as well as memory chips and fast optical interconnections and new technology to deliver thousands of watts of power to the chips. By comparison, Nvidia's current flagship graphics processing units consist of two large chips stitched together and its "Rubin Ultra" GPUs due out in 2027 will stitch four together. TSMC plans to build two factories to carry out the work near its chip plants in Arizona. Intel, which is working to build out a contract manufacturing business to compete with TSMC, is due to announce new manufacturing technologies next week. Last year, it claimed it would overtake TSMC in making the world's fastest chips. Demand for massive AI chips that are packaged together has shifted the battleground between the two firms from simply making fast chips to integrating them - a complex task that requires working closely with customers. "They're both neck and neck. You're not going to pick one over the other because they have the technological lead," said Dan Hutcheson, vice chair at analyst firm TechInsights. "You're going to pick one over the other for different reasons." Customer service, pricing and how much wafer allocation can be obtained are likely to influence a company's decision about which chip manufacturer would be best for them.

Taiwan Semiconductor To Begin Production Of Advanced 1.4nm Chips In 2028 - Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM)

Feel unsure about the market's next move? Copy trade alerts from Matt Maley -- a Wall Street veteran who consistently finds profits in volatile markets. Claim your 7-day free trial now. On Thursday, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSM showcased its next advanced logic process technology, A14, at its North America Technology Symposium. It plans to put its most advanced 1.4-nanometer chips into production in 2028. A14, a significant advancement from the N2 process, aims to drive AI transformation forward by delivering faster computing and greater power efficiency. Also Read: Intel Taps Taiwan Semiconductor For Advanced 2nm Process For AI-Powered Chips: Report It will likely enhance smartphones by improving their on-board AI capabilities, Compared with the N2 process, which is about to enter volume production later in 2025, A14 will offer up to 15% speed improvement at the same power or up to 30% power reduction at the same speed, along with a more than 20% increase in logic density. The chipmaker also evolves its TSMC NanoFlex standard cell architecture to NanoFlex Pro. Taiwan Semiconductor also debuted new logic, specialty, advanced packaging, and 3D chip stacking technologies, each contributing to broad technology platforms in High-Performance Computing (HPC), Smartphones, Automotive, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The company also plans an intermediary A16 chip process for late 2026, according to a Bloomberg report. Deputy Co-Chief Operating Officer Kevin Zhang told Bloomberg at an event Wednesday that it remains confident that overall demand for semiconductors will continue to rise and total industry revenue will "easily" exceed $1 trillion by the end of the decade. Taiwan Semiconductor stock fell 22% year-to-date. The chipmaker's Arizona facility incurred a loss of ~14.3 billion New Taiwan dollars ($441 million) in 2024, marking the most significant loss since its establishment. The U.S. losses reflect the repercussions of Washington's attempt to restructure global semiconductor supply chains through political intervention. The Arizona factory's dependence on importing key components and raw materials drives logistics costs and extends the supply cycle. Additionally, high labor costs in the U.S. further inflate per-unit labor expenses. In March, Taiwan Semiconductor announced an additional $100 billion investment in U.S. chipmaking (on top of its $65 billion in April 2024). Price Action: TSM stock traded higher by 3.69% to $163.62 at the last check on Thursday. Read Next: China's Big Tech Firms Hoard Nvidia AI Chips Before Latest U.S. Sanctions Photo by wakamatsu via Shutterstock TSMTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd$163.723.75%Stock Score Locked: Want to See it? Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Reveal Full ScoreEdge RankingsMomentum50.70Growth82.39Quality-Value52.40Price TrendShortMediumLongOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Top Tech News: TSMC NEW CHIP, Neuralink Raising Funds And More

TSMC Unveils Advanced Chip Integration Technology for AI Applications Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has introduced its upcoming A14 chip technology, slated for 2028, promising 15% faster processing or 30% reduced power consumption compared to its N2 chips. Additionally, TSMC revealed its "System on Wafer-X" technology, capable of integrating at least 16 large computing chips with memory and optical interconnects into high-performance packages, enhancing AI application performance. The company plans to establish two new factories in Arizona to support this advanced chip assembly. As competition with Intel intensifies, the focus shifts from merely producing fast chips to efficiently integrating them, with factors like customer service and manufacturing capacity influencing client decisions.

TSMC unveils faster chip technology for AI applications By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TWSE:2330, NYSE: TSMC) announced on Wednesday its new A14 manufacturing technology, set to arrive in 2028. The A14 technology is expected to produce processors that are 15% faster at the same power consumption as its N2 chips, which are due to enter production this year. Alternatively, the technology can be used to produce chips that use 30% less power at the same speed as the N2 chips. TSMC, the world's largest contract manufacturer, also announced its forthcoming "System on Wafer-X", which will be able to combine at least 16 large computing chips, memory chips, fast optical interconnections, and new technology to deliver thousands of watts of power to the chips. This development is a significant step forward from Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)'s current flagship graphics processing units, which consist of two large chips stitched together. Nvidia's "Rubin Ultra" GPUs, due out in 2027, will stitch four together. TSMC plans to construct two factories near its chip plants in Arizona to carry out the work. The new technology is expected to boost performance needed for artificial intelligence applications, marking a shift in the battleground between TSMC and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) from simply making fast chips to integrating them. This complex task requires working closely with customers. Customer service, pricing, and wafer allocation availability are likely to influence a company's decision about which chip manufacturer to choose. "They're both neck and neck. You're not going to pick one over the other because they have the technological lead," said Dan Hutcheson, vice chair at analyst firm TechInsights. "You're going to pick one over the other for different reasons." TSMC also debuted new logic, specialty, advanced packaging, and 3D chip stacking technologies at the Company's North America Technology Symposium. These technologies are expected to drive product innovations in High Performance Computing (HPC), Smartphone, Automotive, and Internet of Things (IoT). The company's A14 technology is designed to drive AI transformation forward by delivering faster computing and greater power efficiency. It is also expected to enhance smartphones by improving their on-board AI capabilities. The current A14 development is progressing smoothly with yield performance ahead of schedule. TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei said, "Our customers constantly look to the future, and TSMC's technology leadership and manufacturing excellence provides them with a dependable roadmap for their innovations." He added that TSMC's technologies like A14 are part of a comprehensive suite of solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds to unleash customers' innovation for advancing the AI future.

TSMC plans to produce advanced 1.4 nm chip by 2028 By Investing.com

Investing.com-- TSMC said on Wednesday it plans to begin producing an advanced, 1.4 nanometer chip by 2028, as the world's largest contract chipmaker looks to maintain its technological lead in the industry. The company, which is a key supplier for Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA), said in a press release that its A14 or 14-Angstrom node generation of chip technology is set to enter mass production by 2028. A14 represents the next generation of chip technology for TSMC, coming after its 2 nm chips, which are set to begin production in late-2025. TSMC said A14 offers 15% more speed at the same power, along with a 20% increase in logic density over its 2 nm chips. The A14 is aimed at improving processing speeds for artificial intelligence applications, while also allowing AI processes to be run remotely on PCs or smartphones. A smaller nm size implies a more advanced and powerful chip, given that it allows a company to package more chips onto a single board, increasing performance. TSMC is also developing a more advanced packaging process, reports had shown earlier this week. TSMC is at the forefront of the global chipmaking industry, and has benefited greatly from increased chip demand as AI development picks up. TSMC had last week reported substantially stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings, and had maintained its 2025 outlook despite market concerns over a U.S.-China trade war.

TSMC shows off new tech for stitching together bigger, faster chips

SANT CLARA, California (Reuters) -Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co on Wednesday unveiled technology for making faster chips and putting them together in dinner-plate sized packages that will boost performance needed for artificial intelligence applications. It said its A14 manufacturing technology will arrive in 2028 and will be able to produce processors that are 15% faster at the same power consumption as its N2 chips due to enter production this year or will use 30% less power at the same speed as the N2 chips. The world's biggest contract manufacturer, which counts Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices as clients, added that its forthcoming "System on Wafer-X" will be able to weave together at least 16 large computing chips, as well as memory chips and fast optical interconnections and new technology to deliver thousands of watts of power to the chips. By comparison, Nvidia's current flagship graphics processing units consist of two large chips stitched together and its "Rubin Ultra" GPUs due out in 2027 will stitch four together. TSMC plans to build two factories to carry out the work near its chip plants in Arizona. Intel, which is working to build out a contract manufacturing business to compete with TSMC, is due to announce new manufacturing technologies next week. Last year, it claimed it would overtake TSMC in making the world's fastest chips. Demand for massive AI chips that are packaged together has shifted the battleground between the two firms from simply making fast chips to integrating them - a complex task that requires working closely with customers. "They're both neck and neck. You're not going to pick one over the other because they have the technological lead," said Dan Hutcheson, vice chair at analyst firm TechInsights. "You're going to pick one over the other for different reasons." Customer service, pricing and how much wafer allocation can be obtained are likely to influence a company's decision about which chip manufacturer would be best for them. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis and Max Cherney in Santa Clara, California; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)