Semiconductor supply chain linchpin JSR sees DeepSeek boosting chip sales

JSR Corp, the leading supplier of photoresists used to make semiconductors, sees the arrival of DeepSeek’s low-cost artificial intelligence (AI) models as a boon to the industry.

The Chinese start-up and its representation of cheaper AI systems will lead to a burst of demand for semiconductors over the long term, according to Kenichi Emoto, an executive officer at Tokyo-based JSR.

The Japanese company supplies photoresists – fundamental materials related to photolithography – for ASML Holding’s extreme ultraviolet light lithography machines, equipment now deemed essential for making the most advanced chips.

JSR’s materials are used in various parts of the semiconductor supply chain. Other major customers include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, Intel and Samsung Electronics, according to Bloomberg data.

Any development that pushes AI technology forward is a positive, Emoto said in an interview. Even if DeepSeek rewrites the industry map, “it won’t mean a big change for us”, he said. “The emergence of new AI technologies is a positive direction.”

  

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