TSMC’s advanced chip packaging lines are fully booked through 2027, creating a bottleneck in AI chip production that’s steering big players like Google and Nvidia toward Intel's alternative technology. Intel’s EMIB packaging method avoids the costly silicon interposer used by TSMC’s CoWoS, making it an attractive solution amid the shortage.
Google has already committed to purchasing over 3 million units of Intel’s EMIB-packaged chips for its next-gen TPU, with deliveries set for 2028. Meanwhile, Nvidia is testing Intel’s technology for its upcoming Feynman processors, which are multi-die designs requiring complex packaging. MediaTek also supports both TSMC’s and Intel’s approaches, signaling industry openness to alternatives.
Intel forecasts EMIB and its companion 3D stacking tech, Foveros, could eventually bring in billions annually, a massive leap from its recent external foundry revenue of $293 million. In response, TSMC is developing a similar EMIB-style solution in partnership with Kinsus to maintain its lead in packaging.
