Apple Considers Using An AI Chip From A Newcomer Japanese Company, Rapidus
JAKARTA Apple is reportedly exploring strategic cooperation with Rapidus, a Japanese chip company that is on the rise. They are doing this in an effort to strengthen their future artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. If this collaboration is realized, then Apple’s data center and Apple Intelligence technology could rely on ambitious new chip suppliers from Sakura Country.
Rapidus, founded in 2022 with strong support from the Japanese government as well as a number of industry giants such as Sony, Toyota, and SoftBank, are currently targeting the mass production of advanced 2 nanometer chips by 2027. Although still lagging behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Rapidus believes it can catch up with that through more advanced manufacturing techniques.
According to a Nikkei Asia report, Rapidus CEO, Atsuyoshi Koike, has confirmed that the company is in active talks with several major technology companies, including Apple, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft. This signifies their seriousness in penetrating the market dominance that TSMC and Samsung have been holding so far.
Apple’s interest in Rapidus is not only due to technological innovation, but also because of its strategic need to diversify their chip supply chain. Geopolitical tensions between China and Taiwan have raised concerns over the stability of global semiconductor supplies. As a leading technology manufacturer, Apple needs a stable and reliable partner for the long term.
With increasing demand for chips for AI-based data centers and devices, including Apple’s efforts to expand the Apple Intelligence ecosystem, the need for energy-efficient and smaller chips is a top priority. 2nm technology is considered a major leap in terms of efficiency and performance, especially in supporting cloud-based AI and in direct devices.
To support this ambition, the Japanese government disbursed about 200 billion yen (equivalent to US$1.37 billion) to accelerate the production of Rapidus chips. Their first production prototype facility in Hokkaido has just been activated, and full production is scheduled to begin before the end of this month.
Rapidus also collaborated with IBM to develop a 2nm manufacturing process, and has purchased an extreme ultraviolet lithography machine (EUV) from ASML, which is an important component of chip manufacturing of that small size.
In the AI sector, Rapidus collaborates with Esperanto Technologies to develop energy-efficient chips, as well as partner with Japanese companies such as the Preferred Networks and SAKURA internet to strengthen cloud-based AI services in the country.
The inclusion of Rapidus into global semiconductor industrial maps reflects a major shift in the world’s chip manufacturing landscape. So far, the dominance of TSMC and Samsung is very difficult to shake. However, with the full support of the country and its strategic technology partners, Rapidus slowly began to be seen as a credible alternative, especially for companies that want to minimize geopolitical risks.
If Apple succeeds in establishing a long-term partnership with Rapidus, not only will their supply chain be more resistant to shocks, but it will also change the dynamics of power in the global chip industry. Japan, which was left behind in the modern semiconductor era, is now making big steps to return to being a major player.
Rapidus’ success in meeting its production targets will be one of the most important stories in the world of technology in the next few years. In a world that is increasingly dependent on advanced AI and computing, who controls the chip, he is the one who controls the future.
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Apple Considers Using An AI Chip From A Newcomer Japanese Company, Rapidus, source
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