MediaTek Unveils 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro AI Chip

Taiwan’s MediaTek has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone processors, including its first chip manufactured with TSMC’s advanced 2-nanometre technology, as the company pushes deeper into premium handsets and on-device artificial intelligence.

The Dimensity 9600 Pro marks MediaTek’s first mobile processor built using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s 2nm process. The chipmaker also introduced the Dimensity 9600M, which uses TSMC’s 3nm technology and targets a wider portion of the flagship smartphone market.

MediaTek said smartphones featuring the new processors will launch soon. The company has previously supplied chips to major Chinese handset manufacturers including Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo.

A key feature of the Dimensity 9600 Pro is its dedicated neural processing unit designed to handle increasingly sophisticated generative AI applications directly on smartphones. MediaTek said the NPU delivers a 51% improvement over the previous generation when processing user prompts before an AI model begins producing a response.

The launch strengthens MediaTek’s challenge to U.S. rival Qualcomm in the lucrative premium smartphone chip market. MediaTek’s market capitalization surpassed Qualcomm’s earlier this year.

JC Hsu, MediaTek’s corporate senior vice president, said the company is working with smartphone manufacturers to reduce the impact of rising component costs as surging AI demand places additional pressure on global supply chains. However, he expects higher handset prices and advanced AI capabilities to create opportunities for MediaTek to expand its flagship market share.

MediaTek is also rapidly extending its AI semiconductor business beyond smartphones into data centers and custom chips. Its first AI accelerator developed for a major U.S. cloud service provider is expected to enter mass production during the fourth quarter.

The company raised $3.9 billion through a convertible bond offering last month. Nvidia invested $3.5 billion in the deal, while Alphabet, a longtime MediaTek partner in AI infrastructure, also participated.

The investments highlight MediaTek’s broader strategy to capitalize on growing global spending on AI infrastructure while strengthening its position in high-end mobile processors.