IBM has signed a definitive agreement to acquire HRL Laboratories, a US research and development company known for its work in quantum technologies, to strengthen its long-term quantum computing roadmap.

Hitachi has been selected as the prospective implementation organization for a Japanese government-backed project to advance next-generation quantum computers, with Intel contributing semiconductor manufacturing expertise.

AI infrastructure, memory and advanced chipmaking led this week's tech agenda, with Intel, Samsung, SK Hynix, CXMT, Alibaba and Foxconn reshaping capacity and supply chains. Below are the most-read DIGITIMES stories from the week of July 20-26, 2026.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has backed open-weight artificial intelligence (AI) models in his first post on X, adding weight to a widening industry dispute over whether advanced AI should remain tightly controlled or be more broadly shared as competition with China accelerates.

HCLTech said it plans to establish its first AI data center at the upcoming Odisha Sovereign AI Park, marking a further step in its expansion into the full-stack artificial intelligence market through a partnership with AI startup Sarvam and the Government of Odisha.

Chinese artificial intelligence pioneer DeepSeek has verbally informed prospective investors that it is suspending its second fundraising round, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. The unexpected halt comes just days after leaked transcripts attributed to founder Liang Wenfeng sparked widespread online discussion about China's reliance on US hardware and its technological lag relative to American rivals.

International IDMs such as Texas Instruments (TI) and STMicroelectronics are leaning into AI data-center demand, while the market's shift toward 400V and 800V power architectures is creating a longer runway for power semiconductors. Industry sources said the move could benefit Taiwanese suppliers in midrange products, with pricing gains extending into the second half of 2025 and, in some cases, 2027.

AMD is deepening its robot and physical AI ambitions, and the move could matter far beyond Taiwan's industrial PC sector. By building a broader partner network in edge AI and robotics, the chipmaker aims to challenge Nvidia as global developers and manufacturers seek cheaper, faster paths to autonomous systems.

Taiwan's export and investment momentum remained strong enough to partly offset geopolitical shocks, according to the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TIER). The think tank said the island was facing rising volatility in energy and commodity prices, along with added pressure on global supply chains, financial markets and inflation.

Taiwan Institute of Economic Research raised its forecast for Taiwan's 2026 gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 10.38% and said the artificial intelligence investment boom has become a major uncertainty for the global economy and financial markets. The revision followed upward updates from Academia Sinica and Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, while TIER said exports, investment and consumption have been extremely strong since 2026 began.