Technology

I don't get the goal here. It's not just that existing fabs are in Taiwan, I thought it was the knowledge was as well.

I was under the impression that we'd built a couple of fabs here and they're not productive due to a knowledge deficit. Maybe I'm uninformed.

It seems, to my uninformed self, that if we impose tariffs we'd be strengthening Taiwan/China relations. Wouldn't China still serve as a middle man?

I don't see us manufacturing when the dollar is so high relative to foreign currency; add in the lack of knowledge and facilities and I'm not sure what you get.

If TSMC doesn't want to set up shop in the USA, are the USA going to be able to produce chips on par with what TSMC can fab?

To avoid this, the administration would need to introduce exemptions, just like it did with China-made graphics cards and motherboards years ago.

If that is the approach, it would ensure tech monopoly for 5 years for all of the oligarchy that kisses his diaper.

More major issues with this is that while high end Chip production may be high value manufacturing, motherboards, electronics, and assembly is not, and there would likely be an export of chips to somewhere else to import finished products.

US/Trump explicit hatred for world is likely to get retributive tariffs, that makes chip plants unproductive investments, though Trump is hoping to have high foreign ownership/investment in those plants.

In 2022, the export share of Taiwan integrated circuits to US was just 2.46%, although in early 2024, total (all goods) Taiwan exports had US take lead over China for the first time.

That both US and China are decoupling from Taiwan is going to reduce any geopolitical subservience impulse that provokes a war with China. Taiwan may get closer to China instead of begging for more US "friendship".

more AI but less compute please make it make sense

People hyped for the Nvidia 5000 series better get their cards before prices skyrocket across the board. I guess graphics cards weren't expensive enough or something.

Really though, no brand is safe from the soon-to-be insane prices if this does go through as a blanket tariff without exceptions. Better to err on the safe side and upgrade soon as you can, if you need to and you're not too wealthy to care.

Maybe it'll bring chip prices down to Rest of the World™ to clear stock. Thanks Trump!

Trump is just adhering to US policy.

I say this not to be reactionary or pro trump.

Is there no way to use lesser nodes for wider applications? While there are processes that need as much speed as possible, I feel like what gives Taiwan semiconducting industries such great business is the fact that code optimization isn't as cost effective as the latest and greatest chips.

I HOPE these tariffs inspire better, more secure code to make less efficient chips more viable. Like a lemon to lemonade situation.