Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has secured its position as Google’s key chip fabrication partner with production of the tech giant’s latest “Ironwood” TPU, unveiled at Google Cloud Next 2025. This seventh-generation AI processor marks TSMC’s third consecutive engagement manufacturing Google’s server-focused TPUs.
Market analysts indicate TSMC has been Google’s manufacturing partner since the fifth-generation TPU, with the relationship expanding to include Pixel smartphone processors. The deepening partnership brings significant advantages to TSMC’s operations as demand for specialized AI chips continues to grow.
Google’s new Ironwood TPU, specifically designed for AI inference tasks, delivers twice the power efficiency of its predecessor while featuring 192 gigabytes of high-bandwidth memory. When deployed in a full configuration, the chip system achieves 42.5 exaflops of computing power.
Industry sources suggest the prior generation “Trillium” TPU utilized TSMC’s 3-4 nanometer process technology. Reports also indicate Google may partner with MediaTek to design its next-generation TPU, maintaining TSMC as the manufacturing partner due to cost advantages.
The strategic relationship benefits Taiwan’s wider technology sector, with key server manufacturers Quanta Computer and Inventec expected to see increased demand as Google deploys more AI-optimized infrastructure.
