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Bit Noise: TSMC's chip production hums, PC sales shrink

Chips1 min read

This is a short preview of a tech column from heise. It says that TSMC, the world's biggest chip maker for other companies, is selling far more chips because of the AI boom. The full article is behind a paid subscription.

TSMC sells more chips than ever

The AI boom is bringing a lot of money to chip makers. TSMC, the largest contract chip maker in the world, makes chips for well-known firms such as AMD, Apple, Broadcom, Nvidia and Intel. In September 2026 alone, TSMC earned about 14.35 billion euros. That is 55 percent more than in the same month a year earlier. The full numbers for the third quarter came out just after the column was finished, but early data suggests sales will beat TSMC's own forecasts.

Key numbers

  • September 2026 sales: about 14.35 billion euros
  • Growth compared with September 2025: 55 percent
  • Early data suggests third-quarter sales will beat TSMC's own forecast

Why new factories are being built

Demand for chips is expected to keep growing in the coming years. So TSMC is building several new chip factories, called fabs. Local suppliers benefit from this. One example is Da Yi Cheng Technology (DYC), an electrical contractor from Taiwan. DYC says its order books are full until 2028. It works on factories in Taiwan, in Phoenix, Arizona, and in Dresden, Germany, where a joint venture with Bosch, Infineon and NXP plans to make chips from 2027 for industry and cars.

Why it matters

TSMC makes chips for many of the biggest tech firms, so its sales show how strong the AI boom is. Growth in new factories also shows that demand for chips is expected to last for years.

What to watch

  • TSMC's full third-quarter results
  • Whether new factories in Arizona and Dresden start production on time
  • Whether the AI boom keeps driving chip demand

Glossary

TSMC
A Taiwanese company that makes chips for other companies, so it does not design the chips it builds.
Da Yi Cheng Technology (DYC)
A Taiwanese company that builds the electrical systems for chip factories.
Nvidia
A US company that makes chips used for AI, one of TSMC's customers.
AI boom
A fast rise in demand for artificial intelligence, which needs many powerful chips.

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