A June 8 report, citing two unnamed sources, said Google recently ordered more than 3 million of its tensor processing units from Intel, the US chipmaker, for 2028 production after months of testing Intel’s chipmaking technology.

If accurate, the order would expand Google’s TPU supply chain beyond Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which currently fabricates and packages Google’s Ironwood chips.

Intel’s roadmap suggests its leading-edge 18A process could be ready well before 2028. The node has entered risk production, with mass production slated for later in 2025.

The reported order also points to supply pressure at TSMC. The Taiwanese chipmaker said in 2023 that its chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging lines could meet about 80% of customer demand.

The report also said Nvidia is testing whether Intel’s technology can make a future processor that combines four graphics chips into a single unit.

For Intel, a Google order would bolster Intel Foundry, the business unit it created in 2024 and tied to 60% and 40% non-GAAP gross and operating margin targets by 2030.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

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