Glass substrates are expected to be commercialized in 2027, with NVIDIA and Google likely to be among the first to adopt them.

As AI chips continue to evolve towards larger sizes and greater complexity, the competition for next-generation packaging and substrate technologies is intensifying, with glass substrates becoming a focal point in the industry.

According to Korean media reports, glass substrates are expected to enter early commercialization in 2027, reach a capacity ramp-up phase by 2029, and officially enter full-scale mass production starting in 2030. The report notes that Nvidia and Google are the terminal customers most likely to adopt this technology first, as both companies are among the most influential players in the AI accelerator chip market.

This timeline basically aligns with the recent comments of TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei. In his speech at the shareholders' meeting on June 4, Wei stated that TSMC has established a pilot line for CoPoS, and expects meaningful capacity improvements within two to three years. TSMC’s participation further confirms that the commercialization path for glass substrates from laboratory to mass production is accelerating.

On the market side, the continually rising cost of TSMC’s silicon-based CoWoS packaging is regarded as a key catalyst accelerating the adoption of glass substrates. With Intel, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, SKC’s Absolics, LG Innotek, and others speeding up their layouts, the competitive landscape for this track is taking shape.

CoWoS Cost Rising, Strengthening the Case for Glass Substrates

According to Sisa Journal’s analysis, the sustained and high-intensity investment by hyperscale cloud computing enterprises in next-generation infrastructure and advanced packaging is the main driving force for glass substrate demand. Compared to traditional organic substrates, glass substrates offer superior heat resistance and anti-warping properties, and have scalable advantages in larger sizes and higher-density interconnection of GPUs and HBM.

Cost factors cannot be ignored. TSMC’s CoWoS wafers sell for around $10,000 on average, equivalent to advanced 7nm processes, highlighting that advanced packaging has become a highly value-added competition segment. Sisa Journal points out that the continued rise in CoWoS unit costs is prompting customers to evaluate packaging routes centered on glass substrates as alternatives.

A TrendForce report shows that TSMC has launched a 310×310 mm CoPoS (Chip-on-Panel-on-Substrate) platform in 2025, using glass as the intermediary material, further verifying the technical feasibility of glass substrates in high-end packaging.

TSMC and Intel Clarify Roadmaps

Among major platform companies, TSMC’s pilot line for CoPoS has already entered the stage of substantive progress. At the shareholders’ meeting, Wei stated that meaningful capacity ramp-up is expected within two to three years, which corroborates industry forecasts for early commercialization in 2027.

According to Forbes, Intel’s wafer plant in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, is currently producing silicon photonics products for external customers, and has shown the first batch of glass substrate prototypes with integrated co-packaged optics (CPO), with commercialization also targeted around 2030. Intel’s entry means that competition for glass substrates has extended from packaging factories to wafer manufacturing.

Korean Manufacturers Racing to Deploy, SKC Most Aggressive

Within the Korean camp, SKC, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and LG Innotek are simultaneously accelerating preparations for mass production. According to Sisa Journal, all three companies have begun production qualification certification testing with terminal customers, and SKC is considered the most aggressive player.

SKC has completed a 1.2 trillion won fundraising and plans to inject an additional 589.6 billion won into its glass substrate subsidiary Absolics. Absolics has recently launched a new project to supply "non-embedded" glass substrate prototypes to a U.S. telecom chip company. Absolics’ glass substrates target high-performance servers and AI accelerators, offering a 25% reduction in thickness and over 30% improvement in power efficiency compared to traditional organic intermediary layers.

Samsung Electro-Mechanics’ path to mass production is more defined. Sisa Journal reports that Samsung Electro-Mechanics is operating a glass substrate pilot line at its factory in Sejong, Chungnam, aiming for mass production in the second half of 2027, and has begun quality evaluations with Broadcom and several hyperscale cloud computing enterprises.

LG Innotek is also seen as a new participant in this field. LG Innotek has established a pilot line at the Gumi factory and earlier this year reached an R&D collaboration with UTI, focusing on improving the mechanical strength of glass substrates. UTI is known for its ultra-thin glass (UTG) used in folding screen phones for brands like Samsung, and is now extending glass processing technology to substrates. The report notes that this cross-disciplinary deployment may support material technology upgrades for glass substrates.

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