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Hard Numbers: TSMC’s boom, Gemini’s ambitions, Anduril takes Ohio, Synthesia’s ambitions, TSMC evacuates after earthquake

January 21, 2025

Scott Nover

Photo illustration of TSMC logos.

Illustration by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Reuters

38.8: On Jan. 16, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, reported that its fourth-quarter revenue rose 38.8% from the same period a year ago. Driven by insatiable demand for AI, TSMC has cemented itself as one of the most pivotal companies in the AI supply chain.

500 million: Google CEO Sundar Pichai told employees that he wants 500 million people to use the company’s Gemini AI technology by the end of 2025. It’s unclear how many users Gemini currently has, but it reportedly trails OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which boasts 300 million users.

1 billion: Anduril, which makes drones and other AI-powered military systems, plans to build a $1 billion factory in Columbus, Ohio. The company, based in California, said the Ohio facility, called Arsenal-1, will bring 4,000 new jobs to the Buckeye State.

2.1 billion: Synthesia, the British AI avatar company we wrote about in July, raised $180 million in a new funding round last week, raising its valuation to $2.1 billion. CEO Victor Riparbelli told the Financial Times that the UK is “the only country in the European region right now that has a real shot at becoming a top-three AI superpower.”

6.4: Taiwan was hit by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, causing TSMC to evacuate its facilities. The chipmaker said that all of its staff were safe. It’s unclear how production was interrupted or whether the buildings sustained damage.

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(Photo by Jacob Lee Green/Sipa USA)

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Arauca, Colombia.- The photo shows the site of an attack with explosive devices at a military base located in Puerto Jordán in the department of Arauca, Colombia on September 17, 2024. The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, said that "a peace process" that his Government until now maintained with the guerrilla of the National Liberation Army (ELN) is closed, after the attack that left two soldiers dead and 26 wounded in Arauca.

ULAN/Pool / Latin America News Agency via Reuters Connect

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Tools and Weapons – In Conversation with Dr. Fei-Fei Li

Microsoft

In this new episode of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft's Vice Chair and President Brad Smith and Dr. Fei-Fei Li reflect on poignant moments from her memoir, "The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI," highlighting the crucial role of keeping humanity at the center of AI development. They also explore how government-funded academic research, driven by curiosity rather than profits, can lead to unexpected and profound discoveries that propel innovation and economic opportunities. Dr. Li is a pioneering AI scientist breaking new ground in computer vision, and she is a Stanford professor who is currently leading the innovative start-up World Labs. While her career is deeply rooted in technical expertise, Dr. Li's journey is driven by an insatiable curiosity. Subscribe and find new episodes monthly, wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Hard Numbers: TSMC’s boom, Gemini’s ambitions, Anduril takes Ohio, Synthesia’s ambitions, TSMC evacuates after earthquake

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