Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has paused its chip deliveries to Sophgo, a China-based chip designer. This decision was made after a TSMC-manufactured chip was detected in a Huawei AI processor, as confirmed by two informed sources.
The chip in question was identified in Huawei’s Ascend 910B processor by TechInsights, an industry analysis firm. This revelation has raised concerns due to the sensitive nature of the technology and its implications for U.S. national security.
Sophgo, the company at the center of this controversy, had previously placed orders for chips from TSMC that closely resembled the one found in the Huawei device. The U.S. has stringent restrictions on Huawei’s acquisition of such technology to safeguard national interests.
The exact pathway by which the TSMC chip ended up in Huawei’s AI processor remains undetermined. Reuters has reported on this development but could not independently verify the specifics of how the chip was integrated into Huawei’s product.
