TSMC said to suspend production for Chinese chip start-up Biren amid US curbs
- TSMC decided to halt production even though it has not concluded that Biren’s products meet the US threshold for restrictions, a source said
- The decision is connected to information that Biren’s products outperform Nvidia’s A100 chips, which are now banned in China, according to the source
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has suspended production of advanced silicon for Chinese start-up Biren Technology to ensure compliance with US regulations, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The decision is connected with information in the public domain that Biren’s products outperform Nvidia’s A100 chips, which are now banned for the Chinese market, the person said, asking not to be identified discussing a sensitive matter. While TSMC has not reached a conclusion on whether Biren’s products meet the US threshold for restrictions, the Taiwanese chip maker has decided to stop supplies to the Chinese start-up for now, the person said.
Biren, one of China’s most promising semiconductor designers, earlier concluded its artificial intelligence chips produced by TSMC are not covered by the latest US export restrictions because the specs of its products do not meet the criteria for curbs, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
A representative for TSMC said the company complies with all relevant rules, and declined to comment further. No one at Shanghai-based Biren was immediately available to respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.
Biren 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 into China. The US measures were designed to limit China’s development of technology that may be used to aid its military, and appeared to rule out access to advanced fabrication.