Intel is rumored to seek TSMC for help with supply issues
According to industry insiders, Intel has sought TSMC’s commitment to providing greater production capacity but has not confirmed any additional orders for CPUs, GPUs, or other products for the time being. Rumour has it that Intel’s server shipments have been slower than expected due to a shortage of components such as networking chips that have tightened supplies. Due to the current strong demand in the server field, if Intel miss this fully erupted market, then Intel will not only miss the opportunity but will also give AMD a great opportunity to make a breakthrough. From this point of view, it is very reasonable for Intel to hope that TSMC will provide it with mature process capacity.
Some semiconductor practitioners said, at present, AMD’s share in the server market is increasing, and the EPYC series processors built around the Zen 2/Zen 3 architecture have been suppressing Intel in performance, bringing huge pressure and affecting profit margins. AMD’s next-generation EPYC processor using the 5nm process is already on the way. The troubled Intel obviously couldn’t sit still and took the initiative to ask TSMC for help. It is reported that Intel is even willing to increase prices to add orders if necessary.
Pat Gelsinger then flew to Japan to talk with companies including Tokyo Electronics, which should also be related to supply chain issues.