Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plans to invest up to $1 billion in two leading artificial intelligence companies, Anthropic and OpenAI. Under a plan approved by its board, TSMC could invest as much as $500 million in each company.
The proposed investments would take different forms. TSMC plans to buy common shares in Anthropic’s initial public offering (IPO) and invest in preferred shares issued by OpenAI. The moves would deepen the chipmaker’s financial ties to companies developing AI models and services.
TSMC also reported that its revenue in October rose 60% compared with the same month a year earlier, underscoring the strong demand supporting its business.
Anthropic Targets More Than $61 Billion in IPO Proceeds
Anthropic, the developer of the Claude AI chatbot, said it plans to price its IPO shares between $70 and $78 each. At the midpoint of that range, the company could raise more than $61 billion through the offering.
In addition to IPO proceeds, Anthropic plans to secure $26 billion in investments from major backers. The group includes Google, a unit of Alphabet; chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD); and TSMC.
Why TSMC’s Investments in AI Companies Matter
TSMC manufactures semiconductors used across the technology industry. Investing in AI developers could connect the chipmaker more closely with companies that depend on advanced computing hardware to train and operate their models.
Yorkville Ives analysts said the strategic significance lies not only in the number of investors participating, but also in their positions across the technology ecosystem. They noted that major companies can supply AI firms with chips, computing infrastructure, or channels for distributing products. Their involvement as shareholders before an IPO can therefore create important commercial and financial connections.
How the Proposed Investments Are Structured
- Anthropic: TSMC plans to purchase common shares in the company’s IPO, with an investment of up to $500 million.
- OpenAI: TSMC plans to invest up to $500 million in preferred shares.
- Total potential investment: Up to $1 billion across the two AI companies.
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