C.C. Wei on EMIB, memory envy, and why TSMC won't squeeze its customers

C.C. Wei’s stance is a calibrated response to sector-wide anxiety. Technically, rivals’ EMIB-like approaches lack co-optimization with front-end processes, leaving TSMC’s CoWoS ecosystem unchallenged in system-level integration. On compliance, U.S. CHIPS Act mandates are inflating global packaging costs; TSMC’s refusal to over-monetize its dominance preserves regulatory goodwill across the U.S., EU, and Asia. Competitors like Intel and Samsung may respond by opening IP or forging equipment alliances, yet yield and scale gaps persist. Over the next 12–24 months, advanced packaging will shift from a performance differentiator to a survival prerequisite—TSMC’s restrained pricing isn’t altruism, but a strategic lock-in mechanism securing AI chipmaker loyalty as the industry’s de facto bottleneck.