TSMC Discovers Potential Trade Secret Leaks

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) said that it had detected “unauthorized activities” leading to the discovery of potential trade secret leaks, Arjun Kharpal reported for CNBC.

TSMC dominates the market for manufacturing the world’s most advanced chips and counts major tech giants. (Photo: TSMC)

The world’s largest semiconductor manufacturer told CNBC that it has taken “strict” disciplinary action against the personnel involved and has also launched legal proceedings.

“TSMC maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any actions that compromise the protection of trade secrets or harm the company’s interests,” the company said.

“Such violations are dealt with strictly and pursued to the fullest extent of the law. We remain committed to safeguarding our core competitiveness and the shared interests of all our employees.”

Semiconductors have grown in strategic importance in recent years as they have become a key pillar in the boom of artificial intelligence models and applications.

Rising geopolitical tensions have put the spotlight on the competitive technological advantages of major firms in the chip supply chain, such as TSMC and other industry leaders.

Headquartered in Taiwan, TSMC dominates the market for manufacturing the world’s most advanced chips and counts major tech giants—including Apple and Nvidia—among its clients.

As the world’s leading chipmaker, TSMC possesses a vast trove of intellectual property. By its own account, the company has previously said it has more than 200,000 trade secrets recorded in its internal system.