Samsung reportedly wins AI chip orders as TSMC capacity fills up

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is experiencing a surge in demand, with its advanced manufacturing capacity fully booked. This situation is creating opportunities in the AI chip foundry market, with reports indicating that Samsung Electronics is poised to secure significant orders from the AI startup Anthropic.

According to South Korean media outlet Newsworks, Samsung Electronics has successfully added Anthropic to its list of new foundry clients. Sources close to Samsung suggest the company's foundry division has decided to undertake the fabrication of Anthropic's self-developed AI chips, potentially using Samsung's 2-nanometer process technology. This move is expected to propel Samsung's currently loss-making foundry business into a growth phase.

Anthropic had previously listed Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron as strategic infrastructure partners during its Series H funding round in May. Given that Samsung is the only one among these partners with capabilities in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), wafer fabrication, and advanced packaging, it is seen as a strong contender for Anthropic's AI chip orders.

Industry observers note that as TSMC faces high prices and capacity constraints, more companies are exploring collaborations with Samsung Electronics. The anticipated increase in foundry orders is expected to boost the revenue of Samsung's foundry division, signaling a potential shift in the competitive landscape of advanced chip manufacturing.