May 24, 2024 /SemiMedia/ -- Driven by the development of artificial intelligence, TSMC predicts that annual sales of the global semiconductor industry (excluding memory chips) will grow by 10%.

TSMC predicts that second-quarter sales may grow by as much as 30% as demand for semiconductors used in artificial intelligence applications surges.

In terms of production capacity and factory construction, TSMC stated that the company's 3nm advanced process technology has begun mass production since last year, and the yield rate is equivalent to that of the N4 process. However, the expansion of 3nm production capacity still cannot meet market demand. TSMC plans to build seven new factories around the world this year, including three wafer fabs, two packaging factories in Taiwan region, and two factories overseas.

In the factory construction plan in Taiwan, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung will become mass production bases for 2nm process technology; Taichung AP5 factory will be used to meet CoWoS production expansion needs; the recently announced investment in advanced packaging in Chiayi will mainly be used for CoWoS and SoIC technology Production.

TSMC's Fab 21 wafer in the U.S. is expected to start mass production in 2025, and plans to start mass production of the second factory in 2028; the second fab other than Fab 23 in Kumamoto, Japan is expected to enter mass production in 2027; the German fab plans to break ground in the fourth quarter of this year and is expected to start mass production in 2027; the Nanjing fab in mainland China is also steadily expanding its production capacity for the 28nm process.