Servers built around custom AI chips, known as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), have emerged as a focal point of the global server supply chain.
At its year-end celebration on January 16, ASUS held a confident tone amid a turbulent global outlook. Jonney Shih, the company's chairman, told employees that despite mounting uncertainty from international tariffs and geopolitical tensions heading into 2025, the company had delivered what he described as a "solid report card," crediting strong execution and organizational cohesion.
Demand for AI chips is expected to remain strong in 2026, keeping the spotlight firmly on persistent shortages of high-end glass fiber cloth—an essential material in advanced circuit boards and chip packaging.
As the race to embed artificial intelligence into consumer devices heats up, Apple has formally confirmed a strategic partnership with Google to integrate the Gemini model into the next generation of Siri and Apple Intelligence. The tie-up between the two tech heavyweights is expected to sharpen Siri's capabilities and could also lift demand for Apple's future hardware.
