TSMC plans major $1 billion investment in AI leaders Anthropic and OpenAI

Taiwanese chip manufacturer TSMC has approved a plan to inject $1 billion into both Anthropic and OpenAI. This move would grant the chipmaker direct equity stakes in prominent artificial intelligence developers, even as its core business benefits significantly from the ongoing AI data center expansion. According to Reuters, the board authorized an investment of up to $500 million in OpenAI preferred stock designated for major investors, alongside a $500 million purchase of Anthropic common shares, priced at the company's anticipated IPO valuation. While The Wall Street Journal noted that such a financial backing could provide a boost of confidence to markets showing signs of strain within the artificial-intelligence sector, the same publication cited analysts who cautioned that this type of circular financing among suppliers, customers, and investors complicates the assessment of genuine market demand for AI hardware and services.