Taiwan 'epicenter' of advanced electronics manufacturing: Jensen Huang

Dallas, July 21 (CNA) Taiwan is the world's "most advanced epicenter" of electronics manufacturing, Nvidia Corp. founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) said Tuesday on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for Wistron Corp.'s first U.S. manufacturing facility.

Speaking in Fort Worth, Texas, Huang said Taiwan's manufacturing sector was "state-of-the-art," praising the island's technology ecosystem while calling for global expansion of AI manufacturing capacity.

"Taiwan is no longer about cheap. Taiwan is about advanced," he said, adding that working with Taiwanese companies remains highly cost-efficient even if it is no longer low-cost.

As artificial intelligence continues to grow rapidly, Taiwanese companies are expanding production capacity at a fast pace, creating challenges such as ensuring sufficient energy supplies, Huang said.

To meet soaring global demand, the AI supply chain will need to expand around the world, he added.

Having Taiwanese companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), Foxconn and Wistron invest in and build manufacturing facilities in the United States is "a great service and partnership," Huang said, adding that "the United States should be very grateful."

He also noted that, outside the United States, Nvidia's largest manufacturing operations are located in Taiwan.

Discussing manufacturing in the U.S., Huang acknowledged that costs are higher and that the supporting industrial ecosystem is less developed than in Taiwan, adding that it will take time to mature.

Even so, he said now is a good time to invest because of surging demand for AI, arguing that rebuilding U.S. manufacturing capacity is important not only for the United States but also for the global supply chain.

Addressing concerns about the energy and water consumption of AI data centers and AI factories, Huang said the newest facilities use fully liquid-cooled systems with water recirculation, significantly reducing water use while improving energy efficiency.

He suggested developers should engage local communities early when planning data centers and work to improve surrounding infrastructure.

Acknowledging the substantial energy demands of AI facilities, Huang also encouraged governments and companies to use the capital generated by the AI industry to invest in power grid upgrades and sustainable energy.