The company with a monopoly on AI's most critical machine is racing to build more

ASML plans to significantly increase production of its EUV lithography machines to keep pace with growing demand for AI chips, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The company aims to build at least 60 standard EUV machines in 2026. That is 36 percent more than in 2025. The Dutch company is the only manufacturer in the world that makes these machines, which are essential for producing modern AI chips.

Four US tech giants - Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet - plan to spend over $600 billion on AI investments this year alone. That's pushing chipmakers like TSMC to accelerate their own spending, which in turn drives even more demand for ASML's machines. CEO Christophe Fouquet said the company doesn't want to become a bottleneck for its customers. Annual revenue is expected to climb to $42 to $47 billion, up from roughly $38 billion the previous year.

ASML invests $2.2 billion in expansion

Scaling up production quickly is easier said than done. The bus-sized machines are among the most complex devices ever built. Inside, a high-powered laser vaporizes tiny tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet light, which prints microscopic patterns onto silicon wafers. Assembly takes months and requires components from hundreds of suppliers. Even a single speck of dust can disrupt the process. Next-generation models cost around $400 million or more, according to analysts. TSMC, however, has said it will stick with the standard EUV machines for now because the newer models are too expensive.

ASML is investing about $2.2 billion in buildings and equipment this year, roughly 20 percent more than in 2025. New cleanrooms are going up in the US, Germany, and South Korea. Construction on a new campus is set to begin at the company's Dutch headquarters in Veldhoven. ASML is also recruiting talent globally, since the labor market in the southern Netherlands is largely tapped out.

ASML expands beyond its core business and bets on European AI

Beyond ramping up production, ASML is also pursuing strategic goals outside its core business. The company is moving into advanced packaging - a technique that connects and stacks multiple specialized chips together. This approach is critical for Nvidia's most powerful AI processors. ASML CTO Marco Pieters told Reuters the company plans 10 to 15 years ahead and is evaluating what kind of machines the industry will need for packaging in the future.

ASML has also invested 1.3 billion euros in French AI startup Mistral AI, making it the company's largest shareholder. The partnership between two European tech companies is meant to help reduce Europe's dependence on American and Chinese AI models.