Applied Materials (AMAT) opened its new $5 billion semiconductor research and development center at its Sunnyvale, California, campus to accelerate the development and commercialization of chipmaking technologies for AI, the company said Monday.

The 600,000-square-foot Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization Center will bring chipmakers, equipment partners and university researchers together with Applied Materials' scientists and engineers. Founding partners include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Intel (INTC), Samsung Electronics, Micron Technology and SK hynix (SKHY).

Applied Materials expects the EPIC facility to shorten development cycles by enabling collaborative research on materials, equipment and manufacturing processes.