Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation has suspended production of advanced silicon for Chinese startup Biren Technology to ensure compliance with US regulations, according to a person familiar with the matter. The decision is connected with the information on the public domain that Biren's products outperform Nvidia Corp's A100 chips, which are now banned for the Chinese market, the person said.
While TSMC has not reached a conclusion on whether Biren's products meet the US threshold, the world's largest contract chipmaker has decided to stop supplies to the Chinese startup for now, the person said.
Biren, one of China's most promising semiconductor designers, is considered a domestic contender to compete with graphics chips from Nvidia, which has said it can no longer sell its most advanced AI products to China.
The US measures were designed to limit China's development of technology that may be used to aid its military. The company, backed by the likes of IDG Capital and Walden International, was seeking new funds earlier this year at a valuation of US$2.7 billion.
Source https://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news/section/2/246641/TSMC-stops-Chinese-firm-supplies
