Since OpenAI's ChatGPT sparked the global AI boom in late 2022, the "Magnificent Seven"—Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Amazon, Meta, and Tesla—have gained significant attention. Meanwhile, new AI leaders like Broadcom, Oracle, and Palantir have also risen, proving to be influential players in the market.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has established a new multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA), becoming the official cloud and cloud AI partner of the NBA and its affiliated leagues. As part of the collaboration, the parties will also launch the NBA Inside the Game intelligence platform.

OpenAI has introduced a Buy it in ChatGPT feature that allows users to search for and purchase products directly within ChatGPT conversations. This development follows Google's recent launch of the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), underscoring both companies' focus on positioning AI agents as key players in e-commerce. The feature reflects a growing effort to integrate shopping seamlessly into AI platforms, potentially reshaping traditional online retail channels.

Social media giant Meta has announced the launch of its Vibes video generation service within the Meta AI app, allowing users to create videos using their own materials or remix other videos, and directly publish and share them across major social platforms. However, as video generation and sharing become increasingly convenient, this could exacerbate the spread of misinformation and raise copyright attribution issues in remixed videos. Meta has not shared any mechanisms, such as digital watermarks or preventative measures, related to these concerns.

When Intel and Nvidia announced their partnership on September 18, 2025, the US$5 billion equity stake dominated headlines. But beneath the financial fanfare lies a far more consequential shift: Intel is betting its future on a CUDA-first architecture. While mainstream media fixated on the dollar figures, technical forums like SemiWiki and analysts at The CUBE Research began unpacking what this collaboration truly means for the future of computing.

OpenAI's revenue in the first half of 2025 reached US$4.3 billion, already surpassing its full-year 2024 revenue. However, due to persistently high R&D expenditures, the company posted an operating loss of US$7.8 billion.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call on September 19, a conversation Trump later called "very productive" and " very good ." The call has sparked cautious optimism that the world's two largest economies might be finding a new way to manage their intense technological rivalry.

Steven Ho, founder and chairman of 91App, outlined the development of e-commerce in Taiwan over the past 30 years, emphasizing the shift from consumer-to-consumer (C2C) to business-to-consumer (B2C), and currently direct-to-consumer (D2C) models. Speaking at a recent Taiwan Venture Capital Association (TVCA) forum, he noted that Taiwan's e-commerce penetration rate remains at 13.5%, with over 80% of sales still occurring through physical retail channels, highlighting considerable growth potential for online retail.

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) has agreed to be acquired by an investor consortium consisting of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in a deal valued at approximately US$55 billion. The transaction, announced September 30, 2025, marks the largest all-cash sponsor-led take-private investment to date.

Meta reportedly explored a collaboration with Google to integrate Google's AI models with its advertising data to enhance ad targeting precision. Meta subsequently dismissed these reports, clarifying that it has no plans for such integration and uses third-party AI tools only for benchmarking.

Apple has built an internal ChatGPT-like iPhone app to help test and prepare for a major overhaul of its voice assistant, Siri, Bloomberg reported. The app, code-named Veritas, is designed for internal use and is not planned for consumer release. It allows Apple employees to evaluate new Siri features, including searching personal data such as emails and songs, performing in-app actions, and testing extended conversational interactions.

US President Donald Trump has approved a plan for TikTok's US operations to be divested into a new US-based joint venture, determining that the move meets national security requirements under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

The US government announced a one-time fee of US$100,000 for new H-1B visa applicants. Industry insiders warn this could prompt companies to increase offshoring and accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) adoption amid workforce challenges.

LG Electronics announced on September 23 that its proprietary webOS operating system for smart TVs and monitors has been integrated into more than 240 million devices worldwide. Industry observers say the milestone underscores LG's growing influence in the global streaming and gaming market, driven by surging demand for over-the-top (OTT) media services.

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has approved the establishment of a joint venture between Shinsegae Group and China's Alibaba Group, a move that could potentially reshape the country's e-commerce landscape.

The US and China are moving forward with a framework agreement on TikTok's US operations that centers on control of the app's algorithm and data security. Under the current proposal, a consortium of American investors, led by Oracle and private equity firm Silver Lake, would take over TikTok's US business, while the China-based parent, ByteDance, would retain a minority stake of less than 20%.

Alibaba Group announced on September 22 that, unlike previous years, the 2025 Singles' Day e-commerce promotion will extend beyond China to simultaneously take place in 20 international markets. This move aims to create the world's largest and highest-grossing e-commerce sales event.

On September 22, Oracle announced that Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia have been appointed CEOs, succeeding Safra Catz, who will transition to Executive Vice Chair of the company's board.

Meta Platforms is doubling down on augmented reality (AR) displays with a new line of AI-powered glasses, even as its virtual reality (VR) headsets lose momentum. At the annual Meta Connect 2025 event, the company positioned AR and AI-driven services at the core of its next phase, signaling a shift from hardware-heavy VR to software-driven innovation.

Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of September 15–September 21.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is planning to implement a quantum computing mainframe construction project in 2026, aiming to integrate quantum computing mainframes with high-performance computing (HPC) platforms to drive transformation and upgrades in key industries. According to NSTC minister Cheng-wen Wu, the project will leverage Taiwan's key advantage in its semiconductor industry to attract partners from advanced countries in the field, and will include procurement from partners willing to collaborate.

Apple's US$3,499 Vision Pro mixed-reality (MR) headset has struggled to find a foothold with consumers. Its hefty price tag, bulky design, and a limited number of applications have all been obstacles since its launch. But while it may not be a hit with the average user, the device is quietly finding its niche in the business world, emerging as a new tool for training, design, and retail.

The AI rivalry between Google and OpenAI has reached a new phase as Google's Gemini app recently overtook OpenAI's ChatGPT to claim the top spot on the US App Store's free app chart. This milestone comes after years of Google striving to match OpenAI's breakthroughs, signaling a possible shift in industry momentum. At the same time, Google's growing AI stature has coincided with easing pressures from ongoing antitrust investigations in the US.

Amid robust economic growth in the Philippines and the government's drive for digitalization, Taiwanese companies are seizing new market opportunities there. Leading the charge, Uni-President Group's subsidiary, President Information Corp., officially launched its Philippine branch, UNI-PIPC (UNI-President Information Philippines Corp.), in 2024. The company is initially targeting the country's expansive retail sector, which represents more than 60% of domestic demand.