Meta adds exec from key chip partner to board

Meta Platforms on Wednesday added Broadcom CEO Hock Tan to its board of directors, bringing on the head of a company known for its networking chips.

Meta Platforms on Wednesday added Broadcom CEO Hock Tan to its board of directors, bringing on the head of a company known for its networking chips.

Broadcom is one of Meta's key partners in both its data center ambitions and effort to design its own chips and also offers services to help customers design their own chips for artificial intelligence (AI) work.

The technology to create chips that move and crunch data quickly has become a key battleground as AI systems ingest huge amounts of information.

In a regulatory filing connected with Tan's appointment to its board, Meta said it spent about $500 million on components and design services from Broadcom in 2023.

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While Nvidia commands top market share in all-purpose AI chips, all the of the largest technology companies - including Meta, Google, Amazon.com and Microsoft - are also designing specialized custom chips to complement Nvidia's offerings.

Reuters reported earlier this month that Nvidia itself is now courting custom chip clients.