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Few people know this, but Japan controls 95% of a material critical to Nvidia-style AI chips thanks to food giant Ajinomoto (www.merinohomes.com.au)

submitted 1 day ago by randomname@scribe.disroot.org to c/Technology@programming.dev

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In the bustling world of tech, where cutting-edge innovation is the lifeblood of progress, few people realize the critical role a humble Japanese food giant plays in powering the latest AI revolution. Ajinomoto, a company best known for its umami-rich flavor enhancers and instant noodle broths, has quietly become an indispensable player in the global semiconductor industry.

Behind the scenes of every state-of-the-art Nvidia AI processor, behind the meticulously engineered clean rooms of TSMC and other chipmakers, lies a fragile industrial secret: an ultra-specialized insulating film, produced almost entirely by Ajinomoto. This unsung material, known as Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF), has become the invisible backbone of the AI revolution, enabling the cutting-edge performance and energy efficiency that powers today’s most advanced neural networks.

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[–] lvxferre@mander.xyz 11 points 1 day ago

I checked some info around. The film in question (ABF) is used in chips to electrically isolate multiple layers; it isn't just for AI junk. And apparently this film is created by biochemical processes.

I am not sure but I think this film is formed by fermentation. It would be not too different from that white film you sometimes see over fermented food, produced by kham yeast. (Safe but foul-tasting BTW.) Usually you'd want to avoid that film to form, but you could theoretically tweak fermentation conditions to force it to appear, and perhaps even inoculate the fermentation with specific bacteria and/or yeasts to change its attributes. Then you'd harvest the film, process it, and package it.

If that is correct it actually makes sense Ajinomoto produces it. The production process is not too different from its core business, MSG:

ferment a carbohydrate-rich substrate (sugar cane, yucca, maize), plus some nitrogen supplements
innoculate it with a specific bacterium (Corynebacterium glutamicum)
neutralise the glutamic acid into MSG, crystallise it, ship it

I believe both could be produced by other industries if necessary/desired. And the reason they don't do it is simply economy of scale, and competition with an already established monopoly over both.