Intel launched new Xeon 6 processors built for high-density AI work in data centers. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger emphasized performance and power efficiency as he introduced the next-gen Xeon, and said that the Gaudi 3 chips for AI model training and deployment that were released two months ago are less expensive than comparable silicon from Intel rivals. “Intel is one of the only companies in the world innovating across the full spectrum of the AI market opportunity — from semiconductor manufacturing to PC, network, edge and data center systems,” Gelsinger said, embracing open standards during his keynote at Computex. Continue reading Intel’s Xeon 6 Coming to Data Centers and Lunar Lake to PCs

Micron Technology has been selected to receive up to $6.14 billion in CHIPS and Science Act funding from the federal government. The Boise, Idaho-based tech firm says it will use the funds to construct four new fabrication plants — two in its hometown and two in New York State. Micron has committed an investment of up to $125 billion across both states over the next two decades as it endeavors to build a leading-edge memory manufacturing ecosystem. President Biden announced the preliminary funding agreement during a trip to the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology in Syracuse, New York. Continue reading Micron Awarded CHIPS Funds for Fabs in Idaho and New York

Campaigning through the swing state of Arizona on Wednesday, President Biden announced Intel is lined up for a $19.5 billion package under the CHIPS and Science Act. The Department of Commerce has reached a preliminary agreement to provide up to $8.5 billion in grants and $11 billion in loans under the 2022 tech stimulus plan. Intel has committed $100 billion of its own. The CHIPS Act “will enable advanced semiconductor manufacturing to make a comeback here in America after 40 years,” Biden said, addressing a crowd at Intel’s Chandler, Arizona plant, which will be modernized using the funds. Continue reading Intel Awarded CHIPS Act Funding to Boost Production in U.S.

Canon is gearing up to begin shipping its new nanoimprint lithography chipmaking machines, possibly this year. The equipment — which uses a stamping process Canon says will be cheaper and more energy-efficient than ASML’s light-based extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology — could be a disruptor in a market dominated by the Dutch company. Such machines, essential in manufacturing semiconductors, imprint circuitry onto silicon wafers in patterns that can be thousands of times thinner than the width of a human hair. Foundries TSMC, Samsung Semiconductor and Intel rely on ASML’s EUV machines in the manufacture of high-end chips. Continue reading Canon Could Begin Shipping Chip Stamping Machine in 2024

The U.S. Department of Commerce is further curtailing the ability of American companies to sell China advanced chips for artificial intelligence. The national security objective is to avoid providing Beijing with sophisticated silicon that could potentially fuel breakthroughs, giving the nation an advantage in what’s been couched as an “AI arms race.” China is a large market for semiconductors, and the move is said to be fueling tension on both sides of the globe. The new restrictions attempt to plug loopholes in rules the Biden administration introduced in October 2022. Continue reading U.S. Tightens Export Regulations for AI Chip Sales to China

Despite moving a significant portion of its chip work in-house, Apple is extending its chip-supply contract with Broadcom in a deal estimated to be worth more than $15 billion with plans to run through 2026. The chip manufacturer will provide Apple with components for wireless connectivity, including 5G radio-frequency. There had been speculation that Apple planned to phase out Broadcom. Some see the deal as Apple’s capitulation to political pressure to source more U.S. manufacturing. Broadcom’s 5G-capable manufacturing hubs are located in U.S. cities including Fort Collins, Colorado, where Broadcom has a major facility. Continue reading Apple’s 5G Broadcom Extension Valued More Than $15 Billion

Santa Clara, California-based Applied Materials, which makes equipment used to produce semiconductors, has announced plans to invest up to $4 billion in a research facility in Silicon Valley. The Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization (EPIC) Center, which will be built over seven years, aims to bring chipmakers and universities together to collaborate on innovations that will result in more powerful chips. “For the first time, chipmakers can have dedicated space within an equipment company’s R&D fab, providing early access to next-generation processes and equipment to accelerate product roadmaps,” according to Applied Materials. Continue reading Applied Materials Plans Chip Research Center in Silicon Valley

Taiwan’s TSMC, the largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world, is seeking $15 billion in U.S. subsidies to help build two chip factories in Arizona, but is pushing back against terms that include sharing detailed information about its stateside operations and possibly profits. Some South Korean semiconductor firms are also said to have raised objections. The White House contends the criteria are in place to protect American taxpayers and ensure the subsidies are being spent as intended. TSMC has pledged $40 billion of its own funds for the project. Continue reading TSMC Seeks $15 Billion in U.S. Incentives to Build Foundries

Consumer Technology Association (CTA) vice president of regulatory affairs J. David Grossman introduced U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce Alan Davidson, NTIA administrator, who addressed the CES audience on federal plans to expand broadband access in 2023. “As you all know, the Internet today is the essential tool in our modern world,” he said. “Yet, in 2023, millions of people in this country don’t have the access or skills they need to take advantage of the Internet.” After 20 years of talk, he added, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will now provide over $65 billion to invest in that mission. Continue reading CES: Government Plans to Address the Digital Divide in 2023