Taiwan TSMC chair meets with Musk over robot AI chips

Dec. 18, 2024

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Chair C.C. Wei (魏哲家) Monday confirmed that he met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk to address concerns about the supply of AI chips for his company’s humanoid robots.

Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2, is set to enter mass production next year. According to market rumors, Wei recently visited the US West Coast for a quick meeting with Musk, per the Commercial Times.

They reportedly discussed scaling up production for the Dojo AI system, which will leverage TSMC’s 5nm process and InFO-SoW (System-on-Wafer) technology, positioning Tesla’s robots to seize a large market share.

Optimus Gen 2 is set for a limited production run of 1,000 units next year, followed by mass production in 2026. Likely beneficiaries in Taiwan’s supply chain include Hiwin, Mirle, Delta Electronics, Syntec, and Solomon.

While delivering remarks at the Cabinet’s 12th National Science and Technology Conference on Monday, Wei said, “The richest entrepreneur in the world (Musk) told me that multifunctional robots are the direction of his efforts, not cars. His biggest worry is that no one will supply the chips.”

Wei claimed he humorously assured Musk, “Don’t worry, as long as you’re willing to pay, you’ll get your chips.”

Wei said multifunctional robots represent a prime example of AI applications, combining semiconductors, software design, and precision mechanics. He said these robots have the potential to deeply integrate into daily life in the future, such as assisting with household chores and automating production.

Quelle:Taiwan TSMC chair meets with Musk over robot AI chips | Taiwan News | Dec. 18, 2024 18:19