ByteDance's AI chip, developed with Broadcom, may be produced by Samsung instead of TSMC. Here are the production targets for this chip, which will handle AI workloads, and more:
TikTok's developer, ByteDance, is in talks with Samsung Foundry for the production of its developed artificial intelligence chip. While Taiwan-based TSMC was previously mentioned as the production partner, recent reports indicate that the Chinese technology company may have shifted its focus to Samsung.
It is stated that this custom chip, designed by ByteDance in collaboration with Broadcom and targeting AI workloads, could reach the sample production stage by the end of next month. Furthermore, the company reportedly plans to produce 100,000 units this year, with a long-term goal of increasing capacity to 356,000 units.
Samsung's 2nm production process could play a role in ByteDance's AI chip plans
The AI chip developed by ByteDance specifically focuses on scenarios requiring intensive computation, such as large-scale data processing and model training. Today, generative AI and large language models rely not only on processing power but also on high-bandwidth memory solutions. For this reason, high-bandwidth memory technologies like HBM3 and HBM4 have become an indispensable part of AI accelerators.
The limited number of companies producing HBM in the market makes the supply-demand balance even more delicate. Currently, the leading manufacturers in this field are Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix. While increasing demand leads to rising prices and more challenging supply processes, major technology companies are trying to gain an advantage by entering into strategic agreements directly with manufacturers. In this context, ByteDance's discussions with Samsung reportedly cover not only foundry services but also access to memory chips.
On Samsung's side, the situation points to a different competitive dynamic. The company is making intensive efforts to add global customers to its portfolio through its semiconductor manufacturing arm, Samsung Foundry. With the development of its second-generation 2-nanometer production process, SF2P, Samsung appears to be increasing its claim in advanced manufacturing technologies. This process aims to offer higher energy efficiency and performance through smaller transistor sizes.
However, it should be noted that the process has not yet resulted in a finalized agreement. ByteDance stated that the reports are incorrect, while Samsung declined to comment on the matter. This situation could indicate that the discussions are in an early stage or that the parties are refraining from making official statements for strategic reasons.
0 Comments: