TSMC founder Morris Chang revealed in his autobiography that over a decade ago, he approached Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang with an offer to become the CEO of the Taiwanese chip giant. However, Huang declined the proposal within just 10 minutes, stating, “I already have a job,” according to Chang.
The 93-year-old published the second volume of his autobiography on Friday, November 29 that recounts his life from 1964 to 2018. This follows the first volume, published in 1998, which focused on his early life. The second volume of Morris Chang’s autobiography delves into his 25 years at Texas Instruments and the establishment of TSMC in 1987.
Two-decade-long friendship of TSM founder and Nvidia CEO
In the second volume of his autobiography, the TSMC founder also reflects on his two-decade-long friendship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Chang highlights Huang’s pivotal role in transforming Nvidia into one of the world’s most valuable companies, especially amid the rise of artificial intelligence, and credits their mutual admiration over the years.
In the book, Chang reveals that in 2013, while searching for a successor, he saw Huang as the ideal candidate for TSMC’s CEO role, citing his character, professional experience, and semiconductor expertise. During their meeting, Chang spent 10 minutes outlining his vision for TSMC, but Huang politely declined, saying, “I already have a job.”
Chang made a second attempt weeks later, but Huang remained steadfast, emphasizing his commitment to Nvidia. Reflecting on the interaction, Chang writes, “Jensen’s response was honest: He ‘already had a job.’ That job was to elevate Nvidia to what it is today, 11 years later.”
When TSMC founder approached Intel CEO
In the book, Chang says that he also approached then CEO of Intel – Gordon Moore, when he was raising funds for TSMC in the 1980s. The U.S. chipmaker, though not an investor in TSMC, later became one of its key customers, relying on TSMC to manufacture its latest laptop chips.
Morris Chang also commented on Intel’s shift toward the foundry business under CEO Pat Gelsinger, who has been driving the effort since 2021. While Chang wished Intel success, he expressed skepticism about the company’s ability to pivot effectively. He pointed out that Intel’s traditional business model—focused on producing its own chips in-house—could pose challenges in adapting to the foundry model, which involves manufacturing chips designed by other companies.