As global automakers advance deeper into electrification and intelligent mobility, China's top EV brands—BYD, Nio, and Xiaomi—are fast-tracking the development of self-designed chips. The push reflects a broader transition from dependence on foreign semiconductor suppliers to fully integrated hardware-software platforms, with significant implications for the global EV value chain

The Trump administration has lfited at least some export license requirements for chip design software sales in China, as Washington and Beijing implement a trade deal designed to see both countries ease flows of critical technologies

China's first-tier electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Nio has taken a significant step forward in its chip self-sufficiency strategy, announcing that its chip division has officially spun off from the parent company to form a new entity, Anhui Shenji Technology. The spin-off has completed mass production and large-scale vehicle integration of its first self-developed automotive-grade 5nm smart driving chip, the Shenji NX9031, marking a new phase from chip development to commercial application

ByteDance is recruiting heavily for humanoid robot development as the TikTok parent accelerates its push beyond social media into cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) applications

In-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems are a key feature of smart cockpits and the driving technology experience, but their high failure rates and quality issues have become a major problem for car manufacturers

Japanese semiconductor equipment maker Towa Corporation, a global leader in advanced packaging systems, recently unveiled its newest technology for sixth-generation HBM4, aiming squarely at the surging demand from generative AI and high-performance computing markets

Leading Chinese electronics manufacturer, Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing, has announced plans to acquire Source Photonics, a Taiwan-based optical communications firm located in the Hsinchu Science Park, for up to CNY5.935 billion (approx. US$828 million). The deal, priced at roughly six times Source Photonics' market value, aims to help Dongshan Precision break into the high-growth optical communication sector

Samsung Electronics has delayed mass production of its 1.4nm process node to 2029, two years later than its original timeline and trailing TSMC's 2028 target. The shift reflects a strategic pivot to focus on 2nm process stabilization and address persistent yield issues and underutilized fab capacity

South Korean internet giant Naver has launched HyperCLOVA X THINK, a large language model that matches OpenAI's GPT-4.1 performance while excelling in Korean-language tasks, advancing the country's push for AI sovereignty

Samsung Electronics is intensifying its push to secure a major HBM3E supply deal with Nvidia, as Device Solutions chief Jun Young-hyun visited Nvidia's Silicon Valley headquarters in late June 2025. It was Jun's second visit in under two months — following a May 2025 trip — according to semiconductor expert Jukan Choi (@Jukanlosreve on X). The trip reflects Samsung's growing confidence, bolstered by its recent success in supplying 12-stack HBM3E to AMD for its latest AI accelerators

Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. has filed IPO counseling documents with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), signaling plans to list on the Shanghai STAR Market. Chinastarmarket.cn, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported the listing could occur in late 2025 or 2026. The company is still operating at a loss and is aiming to reach breakeven by 2025

Huawei Technologies Co. must face a criminal trial next year in New York after a federal judge refused a request by the Chinese wireless equipment maker to dismiss more than a dozen charges, including racketeering, trade secret theft, and violating US sanctions on Iran

At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, Intel made a high-profile debut in the automotive space, unveiling its second-generation AI-enhanced system-on-chip (SoC) for software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and announcing partnerships with Chinese firms, including Black Sesame Technologies and ModelBest. The event signaled what many believed was a renewed push by the semiconductor giant to become a serious contender in China's rapidly evolving electric and smart vehicle market

As the AI revolution accelerates, global tech giants are racing to shortcut innovation by acquiring not just technology but the talent behind it. Companies like Nvidia, Meta, Google, Microsoft, AMD, and Qualcomm are in an escalating global talent war, eager to absorb entire teams or acquire startups outright to gain access to elite AI capabilities