ByteDance denies reported plan to make self-designed chips and cut reliance on Nvidia

The Chinese company rejected reports that it aims to engage the world’s largest chip foundry TSMC to mass-produce advanced semiconductors

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ByteDance says reports that it plans hire TSMC to produce self-designed chips are untrue. Photo: Shutterstock Images

Published: 5:00pm, 19 Sep 2024Updated: 3:38pm, 25 Sep 2024

Chinese technology giant ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has denied reports that it plans to design and produce two types of semiconductors by 2026 to cut reliance on leading US chip designer Nvidia.

The Beijing-based company, which also operates TikTok’s Chinese sibling Douyin, said its initiatives in the field of semiconductors “are in the early stage, focusing on cost optimisation of recommendations, advertising and other businesses”, local media reported, citing a ByteDance statement written in Chinese.

ByteDance added that all of its chip projects are “in compliance with relevant trade control regulations”.

The response comes after US tech news site The Information reported on Monday that ByteDance was planning to engage Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest chip foundry, to mass-produce two 5-nanometre semiconductors designed by the Chinese unicorn.

The Nvidia headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Photo: Bloomberg

According to the report, those efforts are aimed at reducing ByteDance’s dependence on Nvidia to counter US export controls.