The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced on November 20 that Taiwan's export orders reached US$69.37 billion in October 2025, down slightly by US$850 million or 1.2% from September but up significantly by US$13.92 billion, or 25.1%, compared to the same month of 2024. In New Taiwan dollars, this represents a 19.4% increase year-over-year. Cumulative export orders from January to October 2025 nearly hit US$600 billion, marking a 22.6% annual growth.
Foxconn chairman Young Liu stated that the company would announce a collaboration with OpenAI at Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD25). On the morning of November 21, Foxconn confirmed it will work with OpenAI to design next-generation AI infrastructure hardware and manufacture it in the US. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman later appeared via video call at HHTD25 to outline the partnership.
Hon Hai Tech Day, held on November 21-22, featured IBM Asia-Pacific general manager Hans Dekkers discussing ongoing cooperation in AI and quantum computing with Jesse Chao, head of AI and Quantum Computing, Corporate BD at Foxconn. The event emphasized advancing AI factories and quantum technologies amid rapid AI development.
The White House is reportedly pressuring Congress to exclude the Guaranteeing AI National Access and Innovation (GAIN AI) Act from the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sources told Bloomberg and Axios. The move could benefit chipmakers Nvidia Corporation and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) by preventing export restrictions to China.
SoftBank Group plans to invest up to US$3 billion to turn a former electric-vehicle plant in Lordstown, Ohio, into a manufacturing hub for OpenAI's modular AI data-center hardware. The Information reports the site is expected to enter production in the first quarter of 2026, as part of a wider White House–backed investment framework announced in January 2025 that includes SoftBank's US$18 billion commitment.
Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD) opened on November 21, 2025, with founder Terry Guo present, as chairman Young Liu again rejected the long-held view that Foxconn is only a contract assembler. He underscored that the company's real competitive strength comes from its fully integrated technology, manufacturing, and process-engineering stack.
US data center startup GMI Cloud recently announced plans to build an AI factory in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan, with a projected scale exceeding the current 5MW limit set by the state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). Declining to comment on individual cases, Taiwpower emphasized the challenges of power infrastructure development in northern Taiwan, suggesting data centers consuming over 5MW prioritize locations in central and southern regions rich in renewable energy.
Lenovo expects memory costs to stay high in 2026, but unlike many PC and smartphone makers, it says long-term supply is already secured. CEO Yang Yuanqing confirmed that Lenovo has signed "optimal agreements" with major component suppliers to ensure stable supply and competitive pricing through a year he anticipates will face continued DRAM and NAND shortages.
During Genius Electric Optical's (GSEO's) online investor conference on November 19, 2025, chairman Jones Chen reported that demand in the smart glasses market is strong. He stated that development of variable-aperture smartphone lenses is progressing smoothly, and the company is aiming for customer certification in 2026. Driven by smartphone lenses, AR, and VR, Chen hopes 2026 revenue and profit will outperform 2025.
WPG Holdings, a major semiconductor component distributor, hit a new record with its operating profit exceed NT$5 billion (US$160.1 million) for the first time in the third quarter of 2025. AI-driven demand for servers and supply chain services has made core components and memory the two primary growth engines. Computing-related core components accounted for about 40%, and memory 27%.
Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Alphabet Inc. have sharply increased capex on artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, leading to depleted cash reserves and rising debt levels, according to The Wall Street Journal. This trend is shifting their financial models toward those typical of capital-intensive industries like semiconductor manufacturing.
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