AMD Said to be Planning Taiwan R&D Center

[TheLostSwede]

According to the Taiwan Central News Agency AMD is considering opening up an R&D center in Taiwan. AMD is said to have applied with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) as part of Taiwan's "A+ global R&D and innovation partnership program" to set up a new R&D facility. The government partnership program covers three types of fields, namely AI, new-generation semiconductors including high-power and high-frequency ICs, and new 5G network structures and it's aiming for both local and international businesses to set up new R&D centers. AMD has yet to announce any plans about the potential R&D center and the MOEA has declined to share any details with local media in Taiwan.

However, an unnamed source with inside knowledge in the matter has revealed that AMD is looking at investing around NT$5 billion (~US$155 million), based on the application. The same source also mentioned that the MOEA has stipulated conditions that AMD has to meet, which among other things involves working with local IC design companies to help further develop Taiwan's IC design industry, working with local companies to produce servers with AI chips and working with local universities to cultivate talent. Furthermore, the MOEA is said to have asked AMD to recruit at least 20 percent of its R&D centre workforce from outside of Taiwan, to avoid competing with local companies for staff. AMD could be making an announcement about the R&D center at Computex, but it's worth keeping in mind that these things take time. Back in 2021, NVIDIA announced that it would set up an R&D center in Taiwan, but with a much bigger budget of NT$24.3 billion plus a government subsidy of a further NT$6.7 billion. NVIDIA has as yet to announce the opening of its Taiwan R&D center.



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[azrael]

Just buy ASMedia already...

 

[Denver]

Even though Taiwan has great human capital... there is still a question regarding the risks that AMD is taking.

Just buy ASMedia already...

They should buy Imagination.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Just buy ASMedia already...

That would be hard, as Asus owns a stake in ASMedia.
You can find some company details below and as you'll see, the chairman is from Asus, as well as two directors.

祥碩科技股份有限公司

祥碩科技股份有限公司的商業情報,代表人:徐世昌,地址:新北市新店區民權路115號6樓,統編:80688184,資本額:1,200,000,000,董監事:徐世昌,沈振來,林哲偉,許金川,詹宏志,謝劍平,吳靜吉,設立日期:093年03月24日,營業項目:電子材料批發業,資料處理服務業,資訊軟體批發業,產品設計業,電子資訊

www.companys.com.tw

They should buy Imagination.

Uhm, why?
They already sold their mobile SoC and graphics division to Qualcomm. Hence why we have Adreno GPUs in Qualcomm chips, as it's an anagram of Radeon.

 

[VSG]

I didn't realize this place was filled with geopolitical experts. Use your talents elsewhere, keep this thread free of anything political/off-topic please.

 

[Denver]

Just buy ASMedia already...

That would be hard, as Asus owns a stake in ASMedia.
You can find some company details below and as you'll see, the chairman is from Asus, as well as two directors.

祥碩科技股份有限公司

祥碩科技股份有限公司的商業情報,代表人:徐世昌,地址:新北市新店區民權路115號6樓,統編:80688184,資本額:1,200,000,000,董監事:徐世昌,沈振來,林哲偉,許金川,詹宏志,謝劍平,吳靜吉,設立日期:093年03月24日,營業項目:電子材料批發業,資料處理服務業,資訊軟體批發業,產品設計業,電子資訊

www.companys.com.tw

Uhm, why?
They already sold their mobile SoC and graphics division to Qualcomm. Hence why we have Adreno GPUs in Qualcomm chips, as it's an anagram of Radeon.

They sold it at a time when it was necessary to do so, now it is a totally different company, in full expansion. But I think it would be a strategic acquisition, in addition to integrating imagination's IP into its own collection, it opens up a range of options.

Additionally, I would revoke Apple's license to use Imagination's IP in its GPUs. Find better terms.

 

[TheLostSwede]

They sold it at a time when it was necessary to do so, now it is a totally different company, in full expansion. But I think it would be a strategic acquisition, in addition to integrating imagination's IP into its own collection, it opens up a range of options.

Additionally, I would revoke Apple's license to use Imagination's IP in its GPUs. Find better terms.

But AMD doesn't make Arm SoCs, so what would the point be to buy a company that makes IP largely for Arm SoCs?
Yes, there's at least one, maybe two xinese GPU makers that have licensed Imagination's tech, but the performance is meh at best.

I don't think that's possible, since the tech is already in their products. I mean, they could say no to new products, but not already existing ones.

 

[tabascosauz]

I didn't realize this place was filled with geopolitical experts. Use your talents elsewhere, keep this thread free of anything political/off-topic please.

Last warning guys. Keep out of geopolitics.

 

[azrael]

That would be hard, as Asus owns a stake in ASMedia.
You can find some company details below and as you'll see, the chairman is from Asus, as well as two directors.

祥碩科技股份有限公司

祥碩科技股份有限公司的商業情報,代表人:徐世昌,地址:新北市新店區民權路115號6樓,統編:80688184,資本額:1,200,000,000,董監事:徐世昌,沈振來,林哲偉,許金川,詹宏志,謝劍平,吳靜吉,設立日期:093年03月24日,營業項目:電子材料批發業,資料處理服務業,資訊軟體批發業,產品設計業,電子資訊

www.companys.com.tw

I'm well aware of that. Just like ASRock has its roots in ASUS. And of course we can't forget ASUS(tek, as it was know way back) and Pegatron, the two halves that, not coincidentally, used to form Pegasus.

However, I really think it would make sense for AMD to acquire ASMedia. It probably wouldn't be all that easy, but I'm sure it could be done.

 

[Dimitriman]

R&D center is a good idea for AMD, especially when Jensen has billions in cash burning in his pocket which he can continue to use to keep AMD a generation or two behind.

 

[phanbuey]

It's the main fab of their processors so this just feels like a basic, "keep integrating closer to the fab" strategy they've been successful with for years. I think it mainly shows that they don't really believe that TSMC will be able to transplant their business to other locations anytime soon.

 

[ARF]

Furthermore, the MOEA is said to have asked AMD to recruit at least 20 percent of its R&D centre workforce from outside of Taiwan, to avoid competing with local companies for staff.

This is very illegal and anti-competitive. You work in a free market, remember.
Also, not taking "talent" from your market, means taking/stealing from other markets, which can be as bad, or even worse.

This is quite stupid. Taiwan's unemployment is around 4%, which means at least 900,000 people.
Why do they even need to have these types of artificial limitations as to who they prefer to work with? This is also a discrimination in its purest form.

 

[Minus Infinity]

R&D center is a good idea for AMD, especially when Jensen has billions in cash burning in his pocket which he can continue to use to keep AMD a generation or two behind.

Good idea, but not sure if I'd choose Taiwan in the current political environment. Still it makes sense from point of view of available services, infrastructure and skilled labour.