Sam Altman: Tech Giants Should Stick with TSMC Over Intel for Now

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has added his voice to the ongoing debate over the future of semiconductor manufacturing, making it clear that for now, he believes the tech industry should continue relying on TSMC rather than shifting its bets to Intel Foundry Services (IFS).

In a conversation with Stratechery, Altman expressed his view with unusual bluntness: when asked about expanding supplier diversity, he simply replied, “I would like TSMC to just build more capacity.”

That direct remark reflects the confidence many in Silicon Valley still have in the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company – a firm that effectively serves as the backbone of the global tech industry. Despite U.S. government efforts to bring more chip production home and strengthen Intel’s foundry ambitions, leaders across AI, gaming, and computing continue to see TSMC as the gold standard of process technology and yield reliability.

Altman’s comment comes at a time when nearly every major tech CEO – from NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang to AMD’s Lisa Su – is being asked whether they would consider Intel’s manufacturing as a viable alternative. While some have given diplomatic, cautious answers, Altman’s reply stood out for its clarity: he’s not looking to diversify for the sake of it. Instead, he’d rather push TSMC to scale its already proven production capacity.

OpenAI itself is not a chip manufacturer, but the company is reportedly developing its own AI accelerator, rumored to use TSMC’s advanced 3nm process node. That detail underscores Altman’s trust in the Taiwanese giant’s ability to deliver world-class silicon at a time when demand for AI chips is skyrocketing. His stance doesn’t necessarily dismiss Intel – it reflects the pragmatic recognition that building trust in semiconductor production takes decades, not press releases.

It’s also worth noting that even AMD’s Lisa Su, when asked about using Intel as a foundry partner, gave a hesitant response. The tech ecosystem, while eager to support American manufacturing, understands that the U.S. fabs still have a long road ahead before they can match TSMC’s efficiency and scale. Moving massive production lines out of Taiwan involves logistics, cost, and risk – challenges that cannot be solved overnight.

In the longer term, Altman’s statement might push both governments and corporations to rethink how they balance geopolitical priorities with technological realities. Intel’s upcoming 18A node – which promises cutting-edge transistor design and power efficiency – will serve as a major test for whether Intel can close the gap and reestablish itself as a foundry player capable of competing with TSMC and Samsung. For now, though, the consensus among tech leaders is clear: the industry’s future still runs through Hsinchu.

The broader sentiment across the tech world is that while diversification is important, quality and consistency come first. TSMC has earned that trust over decades of execution. Until Intel proves otherwise – with real silicon, not slides – Altman’s stance will likely echo across boardrooms from Cupertino to Redmond.