Unstoppable demand for AI is leading to a capacity crunch on factory lines at the world’s leading chip manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor. And it could put a chokehold on AI’s ability to scale. Analysts tell CNBC that Nvidia, Apple, Broadcom, AMD and others are locked in an “extremely fierce” competition to get their GPUs, CPUs and custom AI chips made at TSMC. Capacity can’t come online fast enough, despite TSMC’s rush to build new fabs in Taiwan, Japan and Arizona, where has expanded investment to $265 billion. The strain has made one man at TSMC “the most popular person on the planet,” as chip start-ups and big name CEOs visit Taiwan to ask him for wafer allocation. It’s also created a rich opportunity for Intel, as customers look to the long-struggling foundry arm of the U.S. chip manufacturer for a second source.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
2:06 ‘Most popular person on the planet’
6:54 Making room for smaller players
9:10 Can new U.S. fabs ease the crunch?

Producer and Reporter: Katie Tarasov
Edited by: Matt Soto, Andrew Evers
Camera: Eddie Temborski, Robert Lampe, Evan Reinhardt
Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Additional Footage: Cerebras, D-Matrix, Getty Images, Intel, Nvidia, OpenAI, SpaceX, TSMC

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Why There’s An ‘Extremely Fierce’ Battle For TSMC’s Limited Chip Manufacturing Capacity

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Warner Music Group, the third-largest music label by market share, is tapping into the South Asian music movement with its latest venture.

CNBC’s Laya Neelakandan explains.

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Micron’s hometown of Boise, Idaho has a growing crop of newly minted millionaires.

The AI-driven memory boom is showing up in the form of job growth, new construction projects, a bustling dining scene and an influx in new residents.

CNBC’s Katie Tarasov explains. Find the full report in related video.

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Half of single Americans say they are going on fewer dates or choosing less expensive activities because of rising costs, according to BMO’s 2026 survey.

But, the cost of dating itself is only part of the story. For millions of users, finding a date means paying for the apps.

Watch the full story in related video.

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Billions of dollars have been raised for this year’s midterms elections, with a significant portion coming from big name tech billionaires in the cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence and online gambling sectors. Megadonors’ contributions are overwhelmingly behind Republicans in the 2026 midterm election, with 14 of the 20 largest donor groups exclusively or nearly exclusively backing GOP candidates or outside groups. CNBC’s Luke Fountain reports.

Chapters:
00:00 – 00:56 Introduction
00:57 – 03:37 Chapter 1 – Republican-aligned donors
03:38 – 05:07 Chapter 2 – Democrat-aligned donors

Reporter: Luke Fountain
Produced and Edited by: Romy Tarantino
Animation: Jason Reginato, Emily Park
Additional Camera: Macklin Fishman, Andrew Evers
Supervising Producer: Shawn Baldwin
Additional Footage: Getty Images

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The Megadonors Funding The 2026 Midterms

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