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The company with a monopoly on AI's most critical machine is racing to build more
Key Points
ASML plans to build at least 60 standard EUV machines in 2026 - 36 percent more than in 2025 - and expects annual revenue of up to $47 billion.
US tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet plan to spend over $600 billion on AI this year alone, pushing chipmakers like TSMC to ramp up spending and driving demand for ASML's machines.
ASML is investing $2.2 billion this year to expand its complex production facilities and is recruiting talent globally.
ASML plans to significantly increase production of its EUV lithography machines to keep pace with growing demand for AI chips, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The company aims to build at least 60 standard EUV machines in 2026. That is 36 percent more than in 2025. The Dutch company is the only manufacturer in the world that makes these machines, which are essential for producing modern AI chips.
Four US tech giants - Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet - plan to spend over $600 billion on AI investments this year alone. That's pushing chipmakers like TSMC to accelerate their own spending, which in turn drives even more demand for ASML's machines. CEO Christophe Fouquet said the company doesn't want to become a bottleneck for its customers. Annual revenue is expected to climb to $42 to $47 billion, up from roughly $38 billion the previous year.
ASML invests $2.2 billion in expansion
Scaling up production quickly is easier said than done. The bus-sized machines are among the most complex devices ever built. Inside, a high-powered laser vaporizes tiny tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet light, which prints microscopic patterns onto silicon wafers. Assembly takes months and requires components from hundreds of suppliers. Even a single speck of dust can disrupt the process. Next-generation models cost around $400 million or more, according to analysts. TSMC, however, has said it will stick with the standard EUV machines for now because the newer models are too expensive.