system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are we so dependent on Taiwan for microchips? Why couldn't these be manufactured elsewhere, in addition to Taiwan?
gpt
They are manufactured elsewhere, TSMC is just the biggest company. Chip foundries are extremely specialized and require a lot of investment into equipment and facilities. Companies are working on building more to keep up with demand, but that process takes several years. There is just too much demand for the handful of chip foundries around the world.