Google rents access to its chips, called tensor processing units (TPUs), through Google Cloud to AI developers.
In other words, they are not sold externally – but kept for the tech giant’s own data centres.
But if recent reports are correct – that the tech company could be in talks to sell its chips to power other data centres – it would represent a significant change.
The news saw Nvidia shares fall nearly 6% on Tuesday, whilst those in Alphabet, Google’s parent company, rose by nearly the same percentage.
In the hours following the drop, the chip giant posted on X to state it still offered “greater performance” and “versatility” than the types of chips Google is producing.
In the past year, both Amazon, external and Microsoft have announced they also have AI chips in development.
Dame Wendy Hall, Regius Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, told the BBC’s Today programme the news of the potential deal between Google and Meta was “healthy” for the market.
“Investment is pouring into this area,” she said.
“At the moment there is no real return on that investment except for Nvidia”.