Rapidus to Produce 2nm AI Chips for Canadian Firm

In recent developments, the Japanese semiconductor firm Rapidus and the Canadian startup chip company Tenstorrent have formally announced a collaborative agreement. The partnership, focused on the production of AI chips, was solidified on November 16th through the exchange of a memorandum of understanding on American soil.

Rapidus has set an ambitious goal of achieving domestic mass production of 2nm process chips in Japan by 2027, actively seeking strategic collaborations within the industry chain. Tenstorrent, founded in 2016 by the distinguished semiconductor engineer Jim Keller, is poised to benefit significantly from this collaboration.

On November 13th, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry of Japan convened high-level executives from eight semiconductor and AI-related companies in San Francisco for a substantial exchange of opinions. Dignitaries such as NVIDIA's Jensen Huang, AMD's Lisa Su, Jim Keller, and executives from Apple and Western Digital were notable attendees.

Rapidus President Junichi Koike shared strategic insights, revealing plans to establish a branch in Silicon Valley, USA, by the end of March 2024. This move aims to proactively build customer connections ahead of mass production and foster the expansion of global business.

The groundbreaking 2nm chip research and production facility in Hokkaido, Japan, initiated construction in September. The trial production line is anticipated to be operational by April 2025. Rapidus, a collaboration among eight Japanese enterprises with government support, aspires to reclaim a leading position in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, with mass production slated to commence in 2027.