As next-generation AI server platforms enter volume deployment, supply chain constraints are extending beyond high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Bottlenecks are increasingly emerging in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and critical upstream materials, according to DIGITIMES analysis

The server industry is reaping the benefits of AI. Quanta's revenue hit a record high in 2025, surpassing the NT$2 trillion (US$63.2 billion) mark, with AI servers as the primary growth driver. Mike Yang, Executive Vice President of Quanta and President of Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT), said that the AI paradigm shift will last a decade, and that the winner-take-all mindset will create more competitive barriers

As electric vehicles and autonomous driving technologies spread rapidly, and as automotive electrical and electronic (E/E) architectures grow more centralized, the value of semiconductors embedded in each vehicle is rising sharply. According to an analysis by DIGITIMES, the average semiconductor content per car is expected to increase from about US$759 in 2024 to US$1,332 by 2030

After months of trade negotiations, Taiwan and the US have finalized a reciprocal tariff agreement that lowers rates to 15% without stacking most-favored-nation (MFN) tariffs. The deal grants semiconductor products under Section 232 preferential treatment, expands supply chain investment cooperation, and establishes a credit guarantee fund totaling US$500 billion

The US and Taiwan have formally concluded a tariff agreement that sets a 15% rate on covered goods, alongside a sweeping package of Taiwanese commitments aimed at deepening ties with the American semiconductor industry. Under the deal, Taiwan will make US$250 billion in direct investment in US semiconductor manufacturing, while its government will provide an additional US$250 billion in credit guarantees

In August 2024, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) finalized three Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) standards, known as FIPS 203, 204, and 205. These standards incorporate ML-KEM algorithms for key exchange and encryption, along with ML-DSA and SLH-DSA algorithms for digital signatures. Industry leaders are actively integrating these algorithms into web browsers, operating systems, and hardware products to prepare defenses against anticipated quantum-computer-enabled cyberattacks

On December 10, 2025, Qualcomm Inc. disclosed its acquisition of Ventana Micro Systems in the US without revealing the deal's financial terms or completion date. The company highlighted that the move would reinforce its global leadership in the RISC-V ecosystem and improve its CPU development capabilities, complementing its existing Oryon custom CPU team

Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, the Government Investment Corporation (GIC), has made significant investments in artificial intelligence startups Anthropic and MiniMax amidst rising concerns about an AI investment bubble. Anthropic recently closed a funding round valuing it at US$35 billion, with GIC as a key backer. At the same time, Chinese AI startup MiniMax saw a strong stock debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, also reportedly supported by GIC

The long-discussed Taiwan-US tariff negotiations have finally concluded, agreeing on US$500 billion investment and reciprocal tariffs aligned with those of the EU, Japan, and South Korea without stacking. These terms match disclosures from US sources

Record profits. Soaring margins. Relentless demand. TSMC's January 15, 2026, earnings call painted a picture of semiconductor dominance so complete it seems almost untouchable. Almost

The White House has finally released details regarding chip tariffs. Despite previous concerns, tariff rates and products included are relatively limited. The tariff rate has been set at 25%; chips imported for data centers, startups, technology R&D, maintenance and replacement, consumer applications, industrial control applications, as well as any chips used to build US industries, are all exempt from the tariffs

The development of quantum computing is increasingly taking on the character of a global arms race. Nations and corporations that secure an early lead stand to gain outsized strategic advantages. Quantum computers promise breakthroughs in drug discovery, advanced materials and industrial design. They could accelerate the training and optimization of artificial intelligence models and dramatically enhance military capabilities

TSMC announced plans in 2020 to establish an advanced wafer fab in the US, marking a major shift toward significant US investments. Initially seen as a political necessity, TSMC's US expansion has evolved over five years into a long-term commitment exceeding US$165 billion, supporting American manufacturing ambitions

DIGITIMES has recently published three latest research reports regarding Qualcomm's cloud AI ASIC business strategy for 2026, the status of the worldwide top-3 memory makers, plus the latest trends of the memory industry, and an update to DIGITIMES' estimate of global smartphone shipments in 2026 as a result of ongoing price hikes of memory

If today's AI data centers are blazing "powder kegs" of heat, IBM was the visionary that prepared the "fire extinguisher" half a century ago. While Nvidia's top chips now require water cooling to operate, few realize that this technology's "biological father" actually dates back to IBM in the 1960s. Today, we explore this groundbreaking US patent 3,524,497 ("Patent 497") and its blue-cooling revolution spanning over 50 years