Anthropic Warns of AI Chip Supply Risks Due to TSMC's Concentration in Taiwan

ChainCatcher report: Anthropic, the AI lab behind Claude, named TSMC in its IPO prospectus, warning that the world’s most advanced chip manufacturing capacity is highly concentrated in Taiwan. The prospectus states that if TSMC’s operations are disrupted, it could severely impact AI chip supply and adversely affect Anthropic’s business, financial condition, and operating results. According to MoneyDJ, citing the prospectus, the global AI industry heavily relies on TSMC’s advanced processes. Suppliers such as NVIDIA and AMD, as well as companies like Amazon and Google that design their own chips, all depend on TSMC to turn their designs into physical chips. Risks listed include earthquakes, typhoons, power and water outages, as well as geopolitical tensions across the Taiwan Strait, military conflict, blockades, tariffs, and trade restrictions. The prospectus further notes that a major event in Taiwan could severely disrupt the supply of advanced chips; due to the lengthy time required to build and qualify alternative foundries, such disruptions could last for years. Expansion of advanced process capacity outside Taiwan remains in its early stages and cannot effectively reduce concentration risks in the short term. Due to overwhelming demand, TSMC cannot fully meet market needs, resulting in Anthropic’s inability to secure sufficient chips in a timely manner.