NVIDIA Shows Off First Blackwell Wafer Made in the USA
NVIDIA is making moves to bring more of its chip manufacturing to the US. They've just revealed their very first Blackwell wafer, which is essentially the foundation for their powerful AI chips, manufactured right here in the States. It's a pretty big deal!
This wafer was assembled at TSMC's semiconductor plant in Phoenix, Arizona. For those who don't know, TSMC is a major player in the chip manufacturing world, and having them produce these wafers in the US is a significant win for NVIDIA.
Last year, NVIDIA announced its Blackwell platform, with bold claims to revolutionize the AI industry. Big names like Amazon, Google, and OpenAI are already on board, planning to use this next-generation architecture. NVIDIA claims that this new platform is not only way more powerful but also significantly more cost-effective and energy-efficient compared to the previous generation - like, 25 times better!
Being able to manufacture these Blackwell wafers at the TSMC plant gives NVIDIA more control and protects them from things like changing tariffs and geopolitical issues. As NVIDIA's CEO, Jensen Huang, mentioned, this is a historic moment.
With the Blackwell architecture ready for mass production, NVIDIA's not stopping there. They are also planning on expanding their manufacturing presence across the US, including investing half a trillion dollars to build AI infrastructure in the US, with help from TSMC, Foxconn, and others. I think it's a smart move, and it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Source: Engadget