Another chips giant commits to manufacturing in US

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) will begin chip production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) facility in Arizona, marking the first time the company’s processors will be made on U.S. soil.

The announcement, delivered Tuesday by CEO Lisa Su in Taipei, signals a sharp pivot in AMD’s manufacturing strategy as the Trump administration ramps up scrutiny of foreign-made semiconductors. With Washington eying tariffs on chip imports over national security concerns, AMD joins a growing list of tech giants racing to localize operations amid mounting trade risks.

“TSMC has been a key partner for many years and our deep collaboration with their R&D and manufacturing teams has enabled AMD to consistently deliver leadership products that push the limits of high-performance computing,” Su said, according to an AMD press release. “Being a lead HPC customer for TSMC’s N2 process and for TSMC Arizona Fab 21 are great examples of how we are working closely together to drive innovation and deliver the advanced technologies that will power the future of computing.”

Huge step forward for advanced chip manufacturing in the U.S. We have seen great results as a lead customer @TSMC in Arizona and we look forward to building even more of our highest performance compute and AI chips here in America. https://t.co/okaHBw2YQL

— Lisa Su (@LisaSu) March 4, 2025

Though AMD’s shift stateside has been in motion since before President Donald Trump returned to office, Su’s announcement comes as the administration prepares to invoke Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act — a move that would allow the White House to impose sweeping tariffs on foreign chips if deemed critical to national security. A formal investigation was disclosed in a Federal Register filing Monday.

Until now, AMD has relied almost exclusively on TSMC’s facilities in Taiwan for its chip fabrication. But the transition to TSMC’s new Arizona facility, operational since late 2024 and also working alongside Apple and Nvidia, represents a broader push to localize in light of geopolitical and trade tensions.

Nvidia, a key AMD rival in the AI hardware space, announced Monday that it will manufacture AI supercomputers and Blackwell chips in the U.S. in partnership with TSMC and others — an effort that could see up to $500 billion in U.S. based AI server production over the next four years.

“This is very big and exciting news,” Trump said of the Nvidia investment. “All necessary permits will be expedited and quickly delivered to NVIDIA, as they will to all companies committing to be part of the Golden Age of America!”

AMD’s stateside expansion coincides with its March acquisition of ZT Systems, a U.S. server manufacturer, which Su said will help scale domestic output, according to Reuters. Apple has also confirmed limited chip production at the Arizona plant.

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