Article: Google has chosen Intel’s EMIB-T packaging for its 9th-generation TPU, codenamed Humufish, and plans to ship three million of the chips by 2028. The move ends a decade-long reliance on TSMC’s CoWoS interposer technology and could shift the AI-chip supply chain away from the Taiwanese foundry.

Why the switch matters

For ten years Google’s high-performance AI accelerators have lived on TSMC’s chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) platform, which uses large silicon interposers to connect multiple dies. Intel’s EMIB-T (Embedded Multi-Die Interconnect Bridge-T) swaps the massive interposer for a smaller substrate that embeds silicon bridges and adds dedicated ground planes and capacitors. The design pushes power vertically through-silicon vias, a critical edge as AI chips grow larger and power integrity becomes harder to manage than signal routing.

Google’s decision shows confidence that EMIB-T can meet the power-density demands of future models. If the rollout succeeds, other cloud providers may start looking at alternatives to TSMC’s dominant packaging.

The stakes for the foundry market

TSMC still leads the market. Its CoWoS-L variant can expand die area by 5.5 × the standard reticle, and the company has pledged a 14-× increase by 2030. Intel’s entry into high-end AI packaging threatens that monopoly and forces TSMC to speed up its roadmap.

For Google, the switch promises better power performance without sacrificing the chip density needed for large language models and other AI workloads. For Intel, a multi-million-unit contract validates its foundry services and could open doors to other hyperscale customers.

The hidden challenges

Changing packaging technologies is not trivial. EMIB-T’s smaller substrate cuts material cost but forces a redesign of the entire chip stack, from layout to testing. Any hiccup in yield or reliability could delay TPU shipments and affect Google’s AI services. If TSMC’s scaling promises arrive on schedule, they could narrow the power-delivery gap Intel is trying to exploit.

What to watch next

  • TSMC’s response at its 2027 technology symposium. The company will likely unveil roadmap updates aimed at defending its AI-chip lead.
  • Commitment signals from other cloud giants such as Amazon or Meta. A parallel move to Intel’s EMIB-T would amplify pressure on TSMC and could reshape the entire AI-chip ecosystem.

The real test will be whether Intel can sustain high yields at the scale Google demands. If it does, the AI-hardware supply chain may become more diversified; if not, TSMC’s dominance could reassert itself. The outcome will shape the cost, performance, and availability of the AI services that power everything from search to recommendation engines.