Key facts
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recalled his initial struggles to connect with TSMC founder Morris Chang.
- Huang's calls to TSMC went unanswered until he sent a letter to Chang.
- Chang invited Huang to Taiwan, leading to a partnership that has lasted 30 years.
- Huang chose TSMC due to Chang's emphasis on integrity and long-term partnerships.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recounted how his company's 30-year partnership with TSMC began with a letter he sent to founder Morris Chang in the late 1990s. At the time, Nvidia was seeking a manufacturer for its graphics chips and struggled to get TSMC, then a smaller company, to return its calls. After leaving messages and receiving no response, Huang wrote a lengthy letter to Chang. Eventually, Chang called Huang, who recalled telling his laughing colleagues to be quiet because it was Morris Chang on the line. Chang invited Huang to Taiwan, where he was impressed by both TSMC and a rival company. However, Huang ultimately chose TSMC due to his conversations with Chang, who emphasized integrity, corporate governance, and long-term partnerships. Huang stated that TSMC has "jumped through hoops" for Nvidia for the past 30 years, and the company now manufactures Nvidia's advanced AI chips.