Ever since the conclusion of the 2024 US presidential election, the Biden and Trump teams remain locked in a fierce back-and-forth. While Democrats continue to question what Trump's appeal is to the US public, the Biden administration, set to leave office on January 20, is putting together its final performance report.
US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced in a Reuters interview that TSMC has begun mass-producing 4nm chips at its Arizona Fab 21. "For the first time in US history, we are producing the most advanced 4nm chips on American soil by American workers, with capacity and quality comparable to Taiwan," Raimondo stated.
Notably, Raimondo's praise seems to crown TSMC as America's "Chip Champion," sidelining Intel, which plans to mass-produce its advanced 18A process chips by late 2025, even though Intel already produces 4nm chips domestically using its Intel 4 process.
Under CEO Pat Gelsinger, Intel has made strides to catch up with TSMC and Samsung. Gelsinger's 2021 return found Intel lagging by two years. Now, the company aims to close that gap by late 2025, bolstered by its adoption of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in its Intel 4 process, which has improved performance and density at its Oregon facility.
Intel's recent progress includes mass production of Intel 4 chips at its Irish Fab 34 and the launch of AI-ready Core Ultra processors and next-gen Xeon chips. However, delays at its Arizona Fab 52 and Fab 62, despite CHIPS Act support, contrast sharply with TSMC's Fab 21, which is now set to produce 4nm chips by mid-2025.
TSMC's Arizona fab, initially targeting 5nm production in 2024, faced delays but remains pivotal. Meanwhile, little attention has been paid to Intel's stalled Arizona projects.
Raimondo's emphasis on TSMC underscores the Biden administration's achievements as it exits. While Intel progresses on EUV technology, its slower US fab rollout leaves TSMC as the centerpiece of America's semiconductor renaissance.