TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — MediaTek has secured the main order for Google’s ninth-generation Tensor Processing Unit, CTEE reported Tuesday.
The TPU v9 is expected to improve performance for next-generation AI applications and reinforcement learning workloads. The fabless chip designer reportedly beat Broadcom after successfully developing a customized 336G serializer/deserializer (SerDes) solution, according to Tradingkey.
SerDes technology enables high-speed data transmission while reducing the number of physical connections required. It has become a key factor in determining the performance of AI computing clusters, according to Sinotrade.
Google originally planned to adopt a 448G SerDes architecture to increase TPU bandwidth. However, progress has been slower than expected due to challenges in signal integrity, power consumption and thermal management.
Industry sources said the digital signal processors required for 448G optical modules may need to be manufactured using a 2-nanometer process, with mass production unlikely before 2028 or 2029. Broadcom, which had originally positioned itself around 448G SerDes, has reportedly faced constraints related to technology maturity and product timelines, temporarily losing its lead position.
To avoid delays in the TPU v9 development schedule, Google is said to have adopted a 336G SerDes specification as an interim solution. The move underscores how competition in AI chip development is extending beyond processors to high-speed data transmission and system-level design, as demand for data center bandwidth continues to grow.
With 448G technology still in development, the industry is exploring several transitional approaches, including MediaTek’s Micro LED design and thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) technology for 400G lasers. Institutional investors said MediaTek’s AI chip business is expanding beyond Google’s TPU program, with additional cloud service provider projects expected to support future growth.
