TSMC (TSM.N) co-COO Hou Yongqing said quarterly demand for chipmaking equipment
has nearly doubled since end-December as the company ramps capacity to meet
AI-driven demand. The company has raised its quarterly equipment procurement
estimate to about 1.9 times its December forecast. Hou flagged robust demand
from AI developers and large-scale global data center buildouts as the main
drivers. TSMC is building and equipping roughly 20 fabs in Taiwan and overseas —
an unprecedented pace versus its historical norm of 4–5 simultaneous new fabs —
and is constrained by a shortage of experienced construction workers. He said
the firm is expanding at roughly four to five times its past speed but still
cannot meet demand.
