OpenAI expands chip strategy with Broadcom and TSMC support

Company’s bold leap into custom chip territory.

OpenAI is in talks to acquire Jony Ive’s AI startup io Products, which is developing screenless phones and smart home gadgets.

OpenAI is collaborating with Broadcom and TSMC to develop its first custom-designed chip, while supplementing its infrastructure with AMD chips alongside those from Nvidia to meet high computing demands. OpenAI initially considered establishing its own chip-manufacturing network but set the idea aside due to costs and time requirements. Instead, the company is focused on partnerships and in-house chip design to reduce costs, similar to strategies from industry giants like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft.

Broadcom’s stock rose 4.5% following news of the collaboration, while AMD shares gained 3.7%. The partnership will leverage Broadcom’s experience in fine-tuning chip designs for manufacturing and secure production capacity with TSMC, aiming for the first in-house chips by 2026. OpenAI’s increased use of AMD chips on Microsoft’s Azure platform underscores the growing competition Nvidia faces in the AI chip market, where it currently holds over 80% market share.

With soaring expenses from training and deploying models, OpenAI is seeking to streamline operations and cut compute costs. Nvidia remains an essential partner for OpenAI’s advanced Blackwell GPUs, even as OpenAI expands its chip sourcing to support more affordable, efficient AI development.