Applied Materials (AMAT) has expanded its work with NVIDIA and other chipmakers to use AI tools in chip design and manufacturing, and has activated its EPIC Center, a US$5 billion process innovation facility focused on next-generation semiconductor production. EPIC is designed as a hub for deeper partnerships among Applied Materials, industry peers and academic groups on AI-era chip R&D. The site combines materials research, equipment development and early production in one 600,000 square foot location, which the article says could shorten customers' time to qualify new chip processes. Working inside EPIC alongside TSMC, Intel, Samsung, Micron and SK hynix gives Applied Materials visibility into multiple future process flows. The company supplies materials engineering equipment, software and services that chipmakers use to build and refine production lines.
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