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China's leading foundry, SMIC, is quietly recalibrating its strategy, moving beyond its long-standing focus on front-end wafer manufacturing to accelerate investments in advanced packaging....

Google's unveiling of its eighth-generation tensor processing unit (TPU) at Cloud Next 2026 is expected to drive the next wave of growth in the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) server supply chain, with Taiwanese manufacturers expanding their role, according to supply chain sources....

Germany's EV subsidy program is set to open for applications in May, with retroactive eligibility for vehicles purchased as early as January. But while the policy is intended to bolster the country's domestic EV industry, early results suggest that much of the benefit is flowing to foreign automakers — particularly Chinese brands — adding competitive pressure on German manufacturers at home....

The government has included AI computing infrastructure within the scope of major digital public construction projects, using tax incentives to boost private-sector investment. Minister of Digital Affairs (MODA) Yen-nun Huang stated that applications will close at 5 pm on May 14, and Foxconn has already expressed interest and maintained close communication with the ministry....

As color electronic paper technology matures, the e-reader market is entering a new growth phase—one that could reshape global reading habits and retail channels. Consumers worldwide may see broader access to color devices, evolving purchase patterns in convenience retail, and sustained demand for monochrome readers that support diverse market segmentation....

In an April 23 interview, Amichai Ron of Texas Instruments (TI) warned that edge AI will reshape devices worldwide, extending far beyond robotics and driving greater semiconductor demand as AI integrates into long-lived products, implying that global markets must prepare for increased connectivity, sensorization, and chip requirements, along with regulatory and logistical adjustments....

Microcontroller supplier Artery Technology (Arterytek or Arterychip) delivered a strong start to 2026, posting first-quarter consolidated revenue of NT$653 million (approx. US$20.1 million), a record high for a single quarter. Full-year revenue is projected to grow by up to 60%, driven by a combination of new product launches and expanded demand from existing customers....

Huawei has committed a CNY18 billion (US$2.63 billion) investment plan dedicated to research and development in smart driving technologies, in an aggressive push to dominate the foundational layer of the electric vehicle (EV) industry. According to Reuters, Huawei is allocating CNY10 billion specifically for computing power to train AI models, with plans to scale that infrastructure spending to between CNY70 billion and CNY80 billion over the next five years....

Zhen Ding Technology has broken ground on its HD campus at the Huai'an Technology City in China, as it accelerates investment to expand high-end printed circuit board (PCB) capacity targeting artificial intelligence (AI) applications....

Intel is holding its 2026 capex broadly flat year over year, not because of reduced ambition, but because of a strategic reallocation of spending toward equipment that directly boosts chip output. Executives signaled that existing factory space is sufficient for now, allowing the company to prioritize tools and productivity gains to meet rising AI-driven demand. This measured approach reflects confidence in near-term demand—particularly for server CPUs—while maintaining financial discipline amid macroeconomic uncertainty and rising input costs....

Taiwan-made drones have been exported to Poland, the Czech Republic, the US, and Austria, yet four core technology modules still rely on foreign suppliers, raising questions over whether the island can build a supply chain independent of China....

Europe's largest applied research organization, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, is widely seen as a bridge between scientific research and industrial deployment. In a recent interview, its director, Thomas Bauernhansl, identified two structural bottlenecks constraining Europe's humanoid robot development: restrictive safety regulations and the absence of clear liability insurance frameworks....

Intel executives are placing renewed emphasis on the central role of CPUs in artificial intelligence (AI), arguing that shifting workloads are elevating their importance even as specialized chips gain traction. Management said the transition from model training to real-world deployment is driving stronger demand for server CPUs, reinforcing confidence in Intel's competitive position. At the same time, the company is expanding into custom silicon, or ASICs, as part of a broader strategy to address evolving AI infrastructure needs....

General Motors' decision to delay its next-generation full-size electric truck and record over US$7 billion in EV impairments signals a global industry pivot: the company is reallocating resources toward higher-margin internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicles, a move with implications for supply chains, jobs, investor returns, and emissions strategies worldwide....

Three major labor unions at Samsung Electronics held a large-scale protest on the afternoon of April 23 in front of the Pyeongtaek semiconductor campus in South Korea. An estimated 40,000 people participated, accounting for roughly one-third of the company's workforce, marking the largest collective action in Samsung's history....

Intel executives are expressing growing confidence in the company's long-term outlook, arguing that a fundamental shift in artificial intelligence toward real-world deployment aligns with Intel's core strengths. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the transition from model training to inference, agentic systems, and edge computing is driving renewed demand for CPUs, positioning Intel for sustained growth. Management's confidence rests on what they describe as a structural, not cyclical, change in computing architectures — one that places CPUs back at the center of the AI ecosystem....

Intel signaled that industry-wide supply shortages and selective price increases are helping offset weaker PC demand, even as the company works to expand supply capacity across its product lines. Management said constrained output continues to limit revenue upside in parts of the business, while rising prices and improving server CPU demand are supporting overall resilience. The company also pointed to ongoing efforts to increase supply availability, though demand in several segments continues to outpace output....

Intel's first-quarter 2026 results point to a company in the midst of a credible revival, as improving execution and rising demand for AI-related computing begin to reshape its trajectory....

Intel reported steady progress on its most advanced manufacturing technologies, saying its 18A process node is seeing meaningful yield improvements, while the next-generation 14A node has reached early design enablement stages with initial customer engagement underway. Management emphasized that 14A is currently at the 0.5 PDK stage, with a 0.9 PDK milestone expected next, marking a key step toward customer design commitments and future volume production. The company framed both nodes as central to its foundry turnaround, while acknowledging that commercial scale and margin benefits will take multiple quarters to materialize fully....

Apple faces a potential US$38 billion antitrust fine in India as Tim Cook prepares to hand leadership to John Ternus, raising both legal and business implications for the company and for India's approach to regulating global tech firms....