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Artificial intelligence startups drew more than half of global venture capital funding in 2025, marking a significant shift in investor focus toward AI and machine learning companies, according to an analysis by Best Brokers. The report found that AI startups accounted for US$270.2 billion of the US$512.6 billion deployed worldwide, representing 52.7% of total venture capital deal value....

India marked a milestone in its semiconductor push as seven chip designs from startups under the design-linked incentive (DLI) scheme were successfully fabricated, including advanced nodes at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). The progress underscores India's aim to develop indigenous chip design and manufacturing capabilities amid global supply constraints....

India is in talks with Ant International, the Singapore-based payments firm with roots in China's Ant Group, to link its Alipay+ cross-border payments platform with India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a move that could significantly expand the overseas usability of India's dominant digital payments system, two government sources told Reuters....

At the annual Taipei International Book Exhibition — traditionally a peak season for e-reader launches and promotions — E Ink Holdings, the world's largest e-paper material supplier, used the event to assess the latest market trends. David Liu, assistant vice president of E Ink's eReader Business Unit, shared his frontline observations....

A single regulatory notice issued recently by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has made the country the first in the world to formally declare the end of what might be called the automotive industry's "era of invisibility." Under the new rules, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, all new vehicles sold in China will be prohibited from using fully electric hidden door handles. The regulation effectively applies the brakes to an industry-wide push toward ever more electronic, futuristic design, forcing automakers to return to a basic principle of physical safety....

MediaTek said smartphone-related revenue is expected to fall sharply in the first quarter of 2026. The company's smartphone segment recorded a quarterly revenue high in the fourth quarter of 2025, with full-year revenue exceeding US$10 billion, up 8% year-on-year and setting a new record. Flagship chips accounted for US$3 billion of that total. Based on end-market demand, MediaTek's smartphone chip shipments are estimated to be split roughly 30% for high-end models and 70% for mid- and low-tier devices....

Liquid cooling adoption has been led by Nvidia servers, with ASIC servers now accelerating the shift. DIGITIMES Research estimates liquid cooling will account for 50% of AI server thermal solutions in 2026, driven largely by ASIC platforms. Industry sources said cooling suppliers are not only targeting Nvidia GPU systems but are increasingly competing for ASIC server orders due to higher margins....

As the global electric vehicle market grapples with mounting concerns over collapsing resale values, China—the world's largest and most experimentally regulated EV market—is moving decisively with a sweeping policy overhaul....

The supply landscape for 3D NAND wafers is being structurally reshaped as major manufacturers shift capacity aggressively toward enterprise storage. While output of mainstream 1Tb dies is ramping rapidly, prices for 512Gb TLC wafers have surged. Though 1Tb TLC wafer prices rose to around US$23 in February 2026, the gap with 512Gb wafers has narrowed sharply to below 30%....

Elon Musk said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is running up against hard limits in global manufacturing capacity, as chip production, power equipment and industrial supply chains struggle to scale fast enough to meet surging demand....

Elon Musk said artificial intelligence computing could become more cost-effective to deploy in space than on Earth within the next 30 to 36 months, arguing that power generation and terrestrial infrastructure are emerging as the primary constraints on AI expansion rather than semiconductor supply....

Rising investments in AI data centers and an intensifying global push to build large-scale satellite networks are rapidly transforming Taiwan's technology supply chain, delivering a powerful start to 2026. From advanced cooling solutions and ASIC thermal modules to satellite communications components and semiconductor testing services, companies such as Microloops, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT), and MSScorps are seeing demand surge, translating into record revenues and strengthening growth visibility for the year ahead....

Silicon Motion Technology, a leading global supplier of NAND flash controllers, reported robust financial results for the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by broad-based product growth and expanding market share across key segments....

Memory chip manufacturers are adjusting long-standing supply practices in response to rising prices. According to South Korean media reports, suppliers are shortening contract durations and introducing "post-settlement" pricing mechanisms that allow payments to be adjusted after delivery to reflect market movements....

India unveils the latest Union Budget, which includes India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, to boost chip incentives. The Trump Administration announced a reduced 18% tariff on India as India diversifies trade partners....

After the United States formally imposed a 15 percent import tariff on European automobiles, Germany's three largest carmakers—Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz—have found themselves forced to navigate a difficult trade-off between brand identity and geopolitical reality. Facing the same policy shock, the three companies have responded in markedly different ways, offering a revealing case study for global automakers and supply chains grappling with a more protectionist era....

NAND flash supply shortages have pushed original manufacturers to focus on AI servers, leaving PC and smartphone markets to memory module vendors. This shift offers Silicon Motion an opportunity to grow its market share in NAND controllers....

The South Korean government announced plans to invest KRW464.5 billion (approximately US$316 million) in the automotive sector in 2026, targeting research and development as well as infrastructure upgrades to accelerate the country's transition to next-generation vehicles. Key priorities will include end-to-end artificial intelligence (E2E AI) for autonomous driving, software-defined vehicle (SDV) standard systems, and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains....

Taiwan's economy expanded 8.63% in 2025, its strongest growth in 15 years, as the island's semiconductor-driven supply chain continued to underpin global demand for AI computing. Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-hsin Kung said on February 5 that despite a high base effect from the previous year, Taiwan is expected to maintain resilience and flexibility into 2026....

The traditional wafer foundry model is transforming as leading foundries increasingly incorporate intellectual property (IP) into mature technology nodes to address economic pressures and shifting customer needs. Nearly four decades after TSMC founder Morris Chang separated chip design from wafer manufacturing, foundries are evolving from mere silicon suppliers into broader infrastructure providers offering extended platform support....