Japan plans to provide about JPY100 billion (US$634.1 million) over four years to support mass production of next-generation perovskite solar cells, seeking to establish a domestic manufacturing base before China further widens its lead in the emerging technology, according to Nikkei Asia.
HCLTech and Japan's Rapidus have inaugurated development centers in Bengaluru and Hubli, India, expanding their semiconductor engineering collaboration across Asia. The facilities will support advanced chip work, while a planned talent pipeline could connect Indian engineers with Rapidus' manufacturing ambitions in Japan, highlighting the cross-border partnerships shaping semiconductor supply chains.
South Korean optics maker Optoelec is seeing growing interest from AI data center customers as it seeks to expand its wafer-level optics (WLO) business into high-speed optical communications, a market where Taiwanese suppliers are already moving toward commercial production.
South Korean autonomous delivery company NT1 plans to begin assembling Chinese-designed delivery vans locally in 2027, gradually adding Korean-made components as it seeks approval to operate the vehicles on public roads.
South Korean automotive supplier SL is considering deploying its mobile dual-arm robot at a US factory in 2027 or 2028, potentially marking the system's first overseas deployment, a company representative said in an interview with DIGITIMES at FIX 2026 in Daegu on October 24.
South Korean vehicle engineering company KAR plans to develop a monitoring system for the electronic controls it installs in autonomous vehicles, seeking recurring maintenance revenue as the country expands robotaxi trials.
Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-Yong is reportedly set to visit the company's Robotics eXperience (RX) business unit in Seoul's Umyeon-dong by the end of October to review humanoid robot development and preparations for CES 2027. If the visit takes place, it will be Lee's first visit since the organization was established, highlighting Samsung's strategy of commercializing robots through manufacturing applications.
DeepSeek and MiniMax have received approval to deploy their artificial intelligence models overseas, according to a post published October 22 by China Central Television’s Yuyuantantan account. The move signals that Beijing intends to permit Chinese AI companies to pursue global commercialization, even as proposed export controls could raise the threshold for transferring some advanced technologies abroad.
Moonshot AI's first visible overseas sales hire marks a new stage in how Chinese developers of open-weight models compete outside China. They have given away model weights to win developers and earned money through cloud platforms and license terms; Moonshot now appears to be adding staff on the ground to manage partners and large customers.
Doosan Robotics is focusing its sales efforts on large automotive and semiconductor manufacturers as it develops AI-powered systems capable of handling more complex factory tasks, Hyeonchang Jeon, senior manager of the company's Korea sales team, said in an interview with DIGITIMES at FIX 2026 in Daegu, South Korea.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics (Semco) is gaining pricing power as AI server demand extends multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) lead times beyond a year. Shortages now span consumer, automotive and industrial products, prompting customers to secure 2027 supplies.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has banned two electronic devices from entering the US market because both contain surveillance chips made by Huawei's HiSilicon. The move marks the first time the FCC has used a new rule targeting devices whose chipmakers are deemed national security risks.
Apple has reportedly asked BOE Technology and other panel makers for technical information on LCD panels for a future iMac, raising questions about the pace of its OLED transition. The potential LCD model's launch around 2029 overlaps with industry expectations for the first OLED iMac in 2029-2030.
Rapidus chairman Tetsuro Higashi said the Japanese chipmaker remains broadly on track to begin mass production of 2nm chips in the second half of 2027. Winning customers remains a key challenge, and initial demand is expected to come mainly from the United States, where demand related to artificial intelligence is strong.
Concerns over a potential AI bubble are intensifying. From large language models (LLMs) and AI data centers to humanoid robots, investors are increasingly questioning when massive capital investments will translate into corresponding revenue and profits.
