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Wednesday 22 October 2025
GMIF2025: Wallace C. Kou of Silicon Motion: From Cloud to Edge, Controller Technologies Accelerate AI Application Innovation
The Fourth GMIF2025 Innovation Summit (Global Memory Innovation Forum) was successfully concluded recently in Shenzhen. Under the theme "AI Applications, Innovation Empowered", the GMIF2025 of the year brought together leading representatives across the global memory industry chain to engage in in-depth discussions on compute-storage convergence, AI deployment, and ecosystem collaboration, exploring pathways for storage technology innovations and ecosystem development in the AI era.Wallace C. Kou, President and CEO of Silicon Motion. Credit:GMIFWallace C. Kou, President and CEO of Silicon Motion Technology Corporation, was invited to deliver a keynote speech titled "From Cloud to Edge: Silicon Motion's Controller Technologies Accelerate AI Application Innovation." Wallace offered an in-depth analysis of the transformation of storage architectures in the AI era and showcased Silicon Motion's latest breakthroughs and product roadmap in controllers under AI.In his keynote, Wallace highlighted that as AI shifts from training to inference, data volumes are surging from PB to ZB levels. Traditional storage architectures are increasingly inadequate for the stringent needs of AI, particularly in high throughput, low latency, and energy efficiency. AI applications are pushing the memory industry evolving from "tiered storage" to "compute-storage convergence" and even "in-memory computing", making storage no longer merely a "warehouse for data" but a critical part of the AI computing pipeline."The rapid development of AI has made storage an indispensable core element in the entire value chain," said Wallace, "From cloud data centers to edge devices, AI inference will become the dominant trend after 2026. With leading controller technologies, Silicon Motion is building a full-stack storage solution that spans cloud, edge, and endpoints."Data Centers: The PCIe Gen5 SSD controller SM8366 supports sequential read/write speeds of 14GB/s and 3.5M IOPS random reads/writes. Equipped with Silicon Motion's in-house LDPC error-correcting algorithm, it ensures high reliability for high-capacity QLC SSDs.Edge & AI PCs: The PCIe Gen5 SM2508 series is in mass production with over 50% global market share. It supports the SCA interface and low-power design, making it ideal for AI PCs, all-in-one systems, and edge servers.Automotive & Embedded: The Ferri-SSD, Ferri-UFS, and Ferri-eMMC product families are purpose-built for harsh operating environments. Certified to the AEC-Q100 standard, this product lineup features wide-temperature tolerance, high reliability, and superior data integrity to meet storage needs in autonomous driving systems.Ecosystem Synergy: A Call for Industry CollaborationWallace emphasized that the future of AI storage requires deeper industry collaboration and urged stakeholders across the value chain to join forces to address the potential storage chip shortages forecasted for 2026. He noted that demand will surge due to the rise of AI inference devices, the popularization of TB-level storage in smartphones, and explosive growth in IoT terminals, while production capacity remains insufficient.Despite global uncertainties tied to geopolitics and tariffs, the structural demand for storage driven by AI remains unchanged. Wallace predicted 2026 will mark an inflection point for AI inference and edge AI, and Silicon Motion is well-positioned to seize this new growth cycle."From GPU Direct Storage to DPU architectures, from cloud to edge, no single company can achieve product innovation alone," Wallace said. "Silicon Motion will continue deep collaboration with NVIDIA, cloud service providers, and OEM/ODM partners to jointly build a thriving AI storage ecosystem."Award Recognition: "Outstanding Controller Technology Innovation Award"At its booth, Silicon Motion also showcased its latest-generation products, including SM2508, SM2504XT, SM2708, SM2324, SM2264XT-AT, and SM2268XT2-AT, as well as cutting-edge technology platforms such as MonTitan, FDP (Flexible Data Placement), PerformaShape, Ferri-SSD, Ferri-UFS, and Ferri-eMMC. SMI highlighted the value these solutions deliver to downstream device development, technological innovation, and industry applications.At its booth, Silicon Motion also showcased its latest-generation products. Credit:GMIFIt's worth noting that GMIF2025 had recognized the outstanding enterprises, innovative technologies, state-of-the-art solutions in the storage and memory sector over the past year, and the award list was concurrently released.Silicon Motion received the "Outstanding Controller Technology Innovation Award" in recognition of its leadership and innovation in controller technologies.According to the judging panel, Silicon Motion has demonstrated forward-looking technical deployment by being among the first to launch high-performance PCIe Gen5 SSD controllers. The company has also achieved continuous breakthroughs in key areas such as low-power architecture, firmware algorithm optimization, and AI acceleration solutions, significantly enhancing the performance, efficiency, and reliability of memory products. Its innovative solutions are widely deployed in PCs, portable devices, and enterprise markets, providing strong technical support for global ecosystem partners.Silicon Motion stated that the award reflects high recognition of the company's long-term R&D commitment and innovation strength. Looking ahead, the company will continue to explore frontier technologies and expand the boundaries of storage with more advanced and reliable controller products to empower the digital era.SMI Honored with"Outstanding Controller Technology Innovation Award". Credit:GMIFFrom cloud to edge, AI is reshaping the value map of storage and memory and remodeling the innovation dimensions of controllers. The insights shared by Wallace at GMIF2025 were beyond a technological vision and more of an open invitation to industry co-creation. As the world races into the Zettabyte era, industry progress will be collective-or not at all.Silicon Motion's achievements are demonstrated through the extreme performance of PCIe Gen6, large-scale deployment of Gen5, and stringent automotive-grade reliability, proving that controllers can act as the "invisible engine" driving leaps in AI computing power. Being honored with the "Outstanding Controller Technology Innovation Award" makes that dedication visible to the industry and trusted by partners. The storage landscape in 2026 will be a battleground of demand and supply, but only synergy across chips, systems, cloud, edge, and devices can turn scarcity into shared opportunity.By refining controllers into the key that unlocks innovation and scale, performance and efficiency, present and future, Silicon Motion is ready for the next leap-together with its ecosystem partners-to open the next door of AI storage and memory, where every byte of throughput becomes a step forward for intelligent computing.
Tuesday 21 October 2025
PGC Integrates 2.5D/3D Advanced Packaging Technology to Break the Memory Wall and Accelerate AI/HPC ASIC Innovation
As AI models and computing demands continue to grow exponentially, the biggest challenge in chip design is no longer pure processing power, but the bandwidth gap between processors and memory. Even with continuous improvements in processor performance, if data cannot be delivered in real time, overall system efficiency remains limited.To overcome this bottleneck, Die-to-Die high-speed interconnect and HBM4/PHY IP integration have emerged as critical technologies for next-generation AI and HPC chip designs.Progate Group Corporation(PGC), a member of the TSMC Design Center Alliance (DCA), leverages its ASIC turnkey expertise and participation in the Synopsys IP OEM Program to deliver advanced design capabilities comparable to leading international players-while offering a more cost-effective, high-value service model that helps global customers accelerate AI and HPC deployment and mass production.Technical Highlights: Comprehensive Support from Design to ProductionPGC provides one-stop technical services, supporting clients from chip design to production. The coverage includes high-speed interconnects, memory integration, foundry certifications, and AI/HPC application-oriented designs, helping clients shorten time-to-market efficiently.Die-to-Die Interconnect and Chiplet ArchitecturePGC offers advanced expertise in Die-to-Die interconnect and Chiplet-based system design, supporting 2.5D and 3D integration technologies to enable high-speed, low-latency, and low-power chip-to-chip communication. All solutions are compliant with the Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) standard, ensuring interoperability and scalability across heterogeneous and cross-supply-chain environments.This capability addresses the growing demand for high-bandwidth and flexible multi-die integration, empowering customers to build next-generation Chiplet-based systems with enhanced performance and modularity.HBM4 / PHY IP IntegrationLeveraging Synopsys-certified IP, PGC enables rapid integration of HBM4 memory and PHY interfaces to shorten design cycles while strengthening design reliability. These high-bandwidth memory solutions help design teams overcome data transfer bottlenecks and achieve terabyte-per-second (TB/s) throughput, meeting the stringent performance requirements of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.TSMC DCA Certification AdvantageAs a certified member of TSMC's Design Center Alliance (DCA), PGC provides end-to-end design-to-tape-out support within the TSMC's ecosystem. Customers can leverage TSMC's CyberShuttle multi-project wafer (MPW) program to conduct rapid prototyping and design validation, followed by seamless transition to mass production through PGC's ASIC turnkey services. All designs are fully compatible with advanced packaging technologies such as Wafer-on-Wafer (WoW) and 2.5D/3D integration architectures within major foundry ecosystems, ensuring a smooth and efficient path from prototype to production.AI / HPC Application FocusPGC's dedicated ASIC designs are optimized for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications, spanning AI accelerators, data center chips, and high-speed network switch devices. These designs support AI training, HPC simulation, and large-scale data processing workloads, meeting the performance, power, and scalability requirements of next-generation computing environments.Ecosystem IntegrationPGC's services are closely aligned with TSMC's advanced foundry ecosystem, combined with Synopsys-certified EDA and IP solutions, to deliver a complete ASIC turnkey flow covering: High-speed interface IP - ASIC design service - process support - packaging service - verification - testing - mass production.In addition to its own testing equipment and validation capabilities, PGC maintains long-term partnerships with multiple advanced test houses, enabling precise analysis for high-frequency, high-speed interface and advanced-node devices.This level of integration significantly reduces design risk and accelerates time-to-market, while ensuring that the design results are fully compatible with mainstream advanced packaging technologies - such as 2.5D/3D integration and wafer-on-wafer architectures within major foundry ecosystems - as well as international standards including UCIe.PGC delivers high reliability, low risk, and accelerated time-to-production through its comprehensive ASIC turnkey services, allowing customers to focus on differentiated design and market innovation. By leveraging its proven engineering expertise and established partnerships across the semiconductor supply chain, PGC helps customers reduce overall design and ASIC development costs, enhance design success rates, and improve product stability.In addition, PGC provides cross-regional engineering and project management support spanning Taiwan, Japan, China, and the United States - empowering global deployment strategies for AI and HPC applications with consistent quality and technical alignment.PGC provides complete ASIC turnkey services supporting 2.5D/3D advanced packaging technologies.Credit:PGC
Friday 17 October 2025
MEAN WELL Showcases Complete Solutions at Energy TaiwanAdvancing a Smart Energy Future with Standardized Products
As the global energy transition accelerates, AI applications are also rapidly expanding. From data centers and electric vehicle charging infrastructure to home backup power, demand for power supplies and energy storage is growing exponentially. Balancing high power output, energy efficiency, and intelligent management has become a shared challenge for the industry.Credit: MEAN WELLAt the 2025 Energy Taiwan and Net-Zero Taiwan, global standard power supply leader MEAN WELL, together with distributor partner Union Industrial Automation CORP., showcased a range of standardized power products. Based on real-world application needs, they integrated solar panels, lead-acid batteries, and other supporting equipment, combining inverters, chargers, bidirectional power supplies, and smart control modules into a total solution, highlighting MEAN WELL's product advantages as well as its localized, real-time service value.The NTN-5K off-grid inverter exhibited at the show integrates three key functions - charger, inverter, and UPS - into a single device, offering charging power exceeding 4kW and a peak instantaneous output up to 10kW. It can simultaneously handle AC charging, DC-AC inversion, and an uninterrupted power supply. Its applications range from homes and small commercial spaces to outdoor operations, and it can even serve as a temporary emergency power source for electric vehicles. With multiple protection mechanisms and conformal coating treatments, it ensures stable operation under harsh conditions. It also supports MODBus, CANBus, and other communication protocols, allowing users to remotely monitor and manage systems.Another featured product, the BIC-2200 bidirectional power supply, enhances energy usage efficiency. In traditional battery testing, discharge energy is often lost as heat. The BIC-2200, however, can feed this energy back into the grid with a conversion efficiency up to 93%, switching between charge and discharge in less than 1 millisecond. This reduces energy waste while enabling peak shaving, valley filling, and kinetic energy recovery, minimizing downtime risks caused by voltage surges. Its high-efficiency bidirectional conversion mechanism also makes it well-suited for the home energy storage market. Already implemented in European household energy storage cases, it demonstrates strong international market potential.Beyond industrial and process applications, MEAN WELL also introduced the ES-S1000 and ES-S2000 portable energy storage units for consumer use, with approximate capacities of 1kWh and 2kWh, respectively. Targeting home backup and outdoor leisure scenarios, these units support multiple charging modes, including grid, car, and solar charging, and provide AC outlets as well as USB Type-A and Type-C ports. Coupled with an intelligent battery management system, they offer protection against overcharge, over-discharge, short circuits, and high temperatures. Emphasizing "lightweight, plug-and-play" usability, they provide users with rapid access to power during outages or outdoor activities.To maximize system-level benefits, integrating key components requires technical service support. Willard Wu, Senior Engineer at MEAN WELL Technical Service Center, noted that the PV-ML solar controller showcased at the exhibition uses MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) technology to automatically adjust output under varying sunlight conditions, improving battery charging efficiency by 20 - 30%. Supporting 12V - 48V battery systems, it offers broad applicability. When paired with NTN-5K or BIC-2200, it helps build a complete photovoltaic energy storage system, forming a critical part of smart energy solutions.In addition to standardized products, Union Industrial Automation CORP. Showcased an integrated setup of MEAN WELL inverters, chargers, bidirectional power supplies, and control modules at the exhibition. By combining these with third-party solar panels and lead-acid batteries, they created a display simulating a solar power plant, enabling visitors to quickly understand how MEAN WELL products work together in practical applications, forming a complete system of "energy generation, storage, inversion, and intelligent management."Tony Hsieh, Section Manager at MEAN WELL Technical Service Center, emphasized that these products, combined with localized technical support strategies, showcase MEAN WELL's differentiated solutions. Standardized products paired with local demonstration sites, allow users across industries to quickly understand applications and integrate them into existing systems. With globally certified products and localized distributor services, MEAN WELL meets international market demands while providing timely support. Furthermore, by focusing R&D on power and control products and leaving integration of batteries, solar panels, and supporting equipment to partners, the company enhances operational flexibility and promotes energy industry collaboration through "multi-party cooperation."Looking ahead, MEAN WELL is optimistic about AI and smart technology trends. Hsieh noted that AI applications are rapidly expanding into smart homes, wearable devices, industrial automation, and large-scale data centers, creating higher demands on power supply. MEAN WELL's diverse product lines can simultaneously support high-performance servers and edge AI devices, offering core advantages such as high efficiency, reliability, low power consumption, and compliance with safety standards, meeting the market's demands. Moving forward, MEAN WELL will continue investing in high-power-density design and digital power management while integrating renewable energy, energy storage, and DC microgrids. Through one-stop power solutions, MEAN WELL aims to accelerate AI adoption and advance both intelligent and sustainable development.Credit: MEAN WELLCredit: MEAN WELL