TSMC founder Morris Chang is about to release the second volume of his autobiography. According to Economic Daily News, in this second volume of his autobiography, Chang reveals that he once considered inviting NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang to take on the role of TSMC’s CEO in 2013.

This decision detail has immediately sparked widespread discussion in the industry. According to the report from Economic Daily News, the book’s chapter list shows that after appointing C.C. Wei, Mark Liu, and Shang-Yi Chiang as COOs in 2012, Chang approached Huang the following year to gauge his interest in leading TSMC.

Although Huang ultimately chose to continue leading NVIDIA, this historical moment highlights Chang’s high regard for his leadership abilities.

The report from Economic Daily News indicated that TSMC and NVIDIA have collaborated closely in the AI and high-performance computing fields, achieving significant commercial success and establishing themselves as key partners in the tech supply chain.

According to a report in Commercial Times, the partnership between NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang and TSMC’s Morris Chang began after a phone call, when the 32-year-old Huang reached out to Chang. NVIDIA was a young startup, and Huang was unsure if TSMC would collaborate with them. To his surprise, Chang personally called NVIDIA, and that call, answered by Huang, initiated a partnership that has endured for over 20 years.

Chang and Huang are often celebrated as intergenerational friends, admired for their insights into the technology industry and mutual respect for each other’s corporate cultures.

Huang has consistently emphasized the profound influence of Chang’s insights on his own approach to the industry, recognizing Chang as the godfather of Taiwan’s technology industry. According to a CNA report, when Morris Chang received the K.T. Li Award, Jensen Huang traveled from the U.S. to Taiwan specifically to attend the ceremony and personally congratulate him. Huang remarked that NVIDIA was built on the foundation laid by TSMC, stating that without TSMC, NVIDIA would not exist.

Chang has also expressed mutual respect for Huang. According to the report from Economic Daily News, in recent public appearances, he has frequently referenced Huang’s viewpoints and even endorsed his remarks on Intel’s entry into semiconductor foundry services, highlighting their shared perspectives on industry trends and the deep friendship that underpins their collaboration.

Read more

• [News] TSMC Founder Morris Chang to Release Autobiography in November, Highlighting His Life at TI and TSMC
• [News] Jensen Huang Clarifies No Tension with TSMC After Blackwell AI Chip Design Flaw

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TSMC Founder Morris Chang, speaking at a press conference following the TSMC sports event on the 14th, noted that countries around the world are currently building their semiconductor supply chains. In his view, Japan is a more ideal location for this, given the evolving economic landscape, Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing environment might lose its advantages in about 20 to 30 years.

According to a report by Taiwanese media TechNews, discussing TSMC’s global presence, Chang mentioned that about 27 to 28 years ago, it was his dream to build a TSMC fab in the United States, and at that time, establishing WaferTech was a beautiful dream. However, this dream turned into a nightmare after 2 to 3 years due to various cultural factors. But he also believes that today’s TSMC is vastly different from the company of a couple of decades ago. Whether it’s talent or technology, it has improved significantly. With proper preparation, perhaps the past dream can be realized.

Now, countries worldwide are establishing their semiconductor supply chains. So which countries have a better chance of success? Chang believes, based on past experiences, that Japan and Singapore are more ideal places. However, Singapore has limited resources, making Japan the more favorable option. Additionally, the Kyushu region in Japan offers abundant resources such as land, water, and electricity, along with a strong work culture.

Looking at TSMC’s overseas expansion, in 2020, TSMC announced its investment to build a factory in Arizona, USA, with plans to establish 4-nanometer process capabilities. Construction on the Arizona plant began in June 2021, and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in December of the same year. However, due to construction delays, the actual start of production is expected to be pushed back from the original target of late 2024 to 2025.

In comparison, TSMC’s Kumamoto fab has commenced equipment installation, and its facility progress seems to be ahead of the new plant in Arizona. In addition to their Kumamoto Fab 1, TSMC had previously indicated its consideration of building a second factory in Japan, likely to be situated near the first one.

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(Photo credit: TSMC)