Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The world runs on chips. And many of the most advanced semiconductors run through one company: TSMC.
So why can’t another country or company simply build a replacement? In this episode of The Breakdown, Emily Y. Wu looks at the history, trust, talent, and Taiwan-based ecosystem that made TSMC the world’s most important chipmaker — and why replacing it may be close to impossible.
01:49 How Taiwan Built the Chip Industry
03:13 TSMC’s Secret Advantage: The Foundry Model
04:58 Why Apple and NVIDIA Trust TSMC
06:40 Why Not Just Move TSMC Somewhere Else?
07:44 What’s It Really Like to Work at TSMC?
09:45 Credits
The world runs on chips. And many of the most advanced semiconductors run through one company: TSMC.
So why can’t another country or company simply build a replacement? In this episode of The Breakdown, Emily Y. Wu looks at the history, trust, talent, and Taiwan-based ecosystem that made TSMC the world’s most important chipmaker — and why replacing it may be close to impossible.
01:49 How Taiwan Built the Chip Industry
03:13 TSMC’s Secret Advantage: The Foundry Model
04:58 Why Apple and NVIDIA Trust TSMC
06:40 Why Not Just Move TSMC Somewhere Else?
07:44 What’s It Really Like to Work at TSMC?
09:45 Credits
