The Circuit Episode 101 Part 2: Digging into TSMC Earnings
Jan 20, 2025
Ben Bajarin and Jay Goldberg dive into TSMC's impressive earnings, spotlighting its surge in AI-driven revenue and a shift towards custom chip solutions. They highlight Intel's changing dynamics with TSMC and explore the ripple effects of AI on the semiconductor landscape. The conversation touches on challenges faced by NVIDIA amid rising demand and production complexities, alongside speculation about acquisitions in the industry. The duo paints a vivid picture of the evolving tech ecosystem and the exciting future of silicon demand.
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A Copper‑Wrapped Blackwell Rack Image
- Jay described a photo of a Blackwell system 'wrapped in copper' to illustrate liquid-cooling complexity.
- He used that image to explain why liquid cooling and assembly produce higher defect rates in new data centers.
Blackwell Spurs Verticalized Rack Builds
- Blackwell systems require much more custom, vertically integrated racks, increasing build complexity.
- This verticalization drives scaling pains for ODMs and integrators even as demand remains strong.
Silicon Photonics Is Coming Soon
- Silicon photonics is not yet ramped but expected to start scaling within a year to 18 months.
- This ramp likely ties to next-generation NVIDIA networking and broader ecosystem players like Broadcom and Marvell.