TSMC's $56 Billion Bet Says the AI Bubble Hasn't Popped

TSMC's Q4 profit jumped 35% to a record $16 billion. CEO C.C. Wei declared "AI is real" and backed it with $56 billion in 2026 capex, the largest semiconductor investment in history. Intel and Samsung are scrambling to catch up. They're not close.

TSMC Q4 2025: Record Profit, $56B Capex Bet on AI Chips

C.C. Wei's voice came through the conference line without a trace of hesitation. Three words, delivered flat, no performative emphasis. "AI is real."

Not "AI is promising." Not "we're optimistic about AI demand." Real. As in: stop asking us if this is a bubble. Eight consecutive quarters of profit growth, $16 billion in net income for the December quarter alone, and a capex guidance that made Wall Street's projections look timid. TSMC plans to spend up to $56 billion this year building capacity for chips that don't exist yet, for customers who are already lined up, for an AI infrastructure buildout that shows no signs of slowing.

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