Texas has become one of the world's leading regions for AI data center construction. However, this trend has put its power grid under dangerous pressure, exceeding what realistic power supply conditions can support. Texas is only one example; several other states are facing similar problems of aging and fragmented power grids, lacking a cross-regional, large-scale power dispatch system

Murata Manufacturing plans to start mass production of AI server power modules in 2026 and is coordinating with major cloud service providers. The company expects the business to generate about JPY50 billion (US$332 million) in revenue over fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2027, covering April 2026 to March 2028

South Korean IC design house Sapien Semiconductor is emerging as a disruptor in the global smart glasses supply chain, after reports that it will supply display backplanes for Meta's next-generation augmented reality (AR) glasses, a development that could loosen China's long-standing grip on key micro-display components

MetaX, a Chinese graphics processor startup founded by former Advanced Micro Devices engineers, soared in its trading debut on Shanghai's STAR Market on December 17, 2025. The rally highlights the premium investors are placing on Beijing's semiconductor self-sufficiency drive even as the company grapples with widening losses and intense geopolitical headwinds

Samsung Electronics' foundry division is reported to have secured an 8nm manufacturing order from Intel, adding another blue-chip customer to its mature advanced-node portfolio after Nvidia. Analysts say the win strengthens Samsung Foundry's order momentum at nodes where yields and cost structures have largely stabilized

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), once the world's premier launchpad for next-generation technologies, is facing mounting questions over its relevance. Ahead of CES 2026, scheduled for 6-9 January in Las Vegas, participation by South Korean companies is expected to fall sharply, with multiple conglomerates scaling back or skipping the show altogether. The pullback highlights a broader reassessment by large corporations of the cost, impact, and strategic value of global tech exhibitions

China-based battery equipment maker CHR Hangko is actively expanding its production base in South Korea, aiming to deepen its presence in the local rechargeable battery supply chain amid growing advances of Chinese firms into battery equipment sectors

Wah Hong Industrial, a leading Taiwanese optical film and advanced materials maker, remains focused on product upgrades and structural adjustments to enhance overall competitiveness, despite tariff-related uncertainties and conservative demand in 2025, according to the company's president, Chih-Ming Lin

Facing intensifying competition in the traditional LED lighting market, Incheon-based Korea Lighting is repositioning itself as a supplier of bio-optical semiconductor solutions, targeting high-value applications across healthcare, hygiene, beauty, and agriculture

China's AI computing sector is facing acute short-term planning turmoil, spurred by the potential re-entry of Nvidia's H200 GPU. This market volatility directly impacts numerous state-owned AI computing centers

AMD chairman and CEO Lisa Su visited Lenovo's global headquarters in Beijing on December 16, 2025, marking a key stop during her recent trip to China. Accompanied by several Lenovo executives, the visit drew significant industry attention

At the startup expo COMEUP 2025 that took place in Seoul last week, Taiwan's emerging companies, including Infinitix and SurveyCake, showcased plans to deepen their footprint in South Korea's growing AI and consumer markets. Led by the National Development Council (NDC) and local startup communities under the Startup Island Taiwan brand, these firms aim to leverage South Korea's vibrant tech ecosystem for expansion

Luxshare Precision Industry is accelerating efforts to diversify its business mix as it seeks to reduce its heavy reliance on Apple-linked consumer electronics, even as that segment remains the company's largest revenue contributor. Financial data show consumer electronics accounted for 79% of Luxshare's revenue in the first half of 2025, down from a peak of 88% in 2020 and 85% in 2023, signaling a gradual but deliberate rebalancing

For decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has pursued scale: more parameters, more data, more GPUs. That approach delivered rapid breakthroughs but also revealed hard limits in power consumption, cost, and accessibility. In China, a different path is taking shape, one that looks beyond silicon scaling laws to the human brain itself