[News] TSMC Reportedly Weighs Investment in South Korea’s FuriosaAI Amid Meta Acquisition Talks

As CSPs ramp up on in-house AI chips, market rumors have been circulating that Meta is in talks to acquire Seoul-based AI chip startup FuriosaAI, according to Forbes. However, Meta may not be the only tech giant interested in the deal. South Korean media outlet the bell suggests that Taiwanese foundry leader TSMC is also considering investing in the company.

Sources told the bell that TSMC has been weighing participation in FuriosaAI’s fundraising since the second half of 2024. However, the decision process took longer than anticipated, delaying the timeline.

Notably, FuriosaAI has already teamed up with TSMC on AI chip production. As per ZDNet, FuriosaAI initially used Samsung’s 14nm process for its first-gen chip “Warboy,” but switched to TSMC’s 5nm for its second-gen chip “Renegade.”

According to FuriosaAI’s website, Renegade is currently being sampled with customers, and mass production will begin in partnership with TSMC, targeting availability in 2025.

The bell notes that if Meta acquires FuriosaAI, it could create an opportunity for TSMC. Like other tech giants, Meta aims to reduce its reliance on NVIDIA by enhancing its fabless capabilities. In this case, it would need to partner with a foundry, potentially expanding TSMC’s customer base, the report adds.

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(Photo credit: FuriosaAI)