DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Gemtek partners with Starman to make optical transceivers in US

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:10:00 GMT

On October 15, network equipment maker Gemtek Technology announced a strategic partnership with Starman New Photonics, a subsidiary of Starman Holdings, to form a joint venture in the US. The new entity will manufacture advanced optical transceivers to capture demand for optical interconnects driven by hyperscale AI data centers.

Taiwan to build industrial parks in US; Texas site already found

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:08:00 GMT

Taiwan plans to set up industrial parks in the US to help its supplier ecosystem reach customers like Nvidia and other local hardware manufacturers. It is starting with a complex in Texas, which has become a hotspot of expansion plans among Taiwanese tech companies.

Project Bromo tests Europe's new industrial policy as Brussels weighs fast track for space champion

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 09:05:00 GMT

The global space market has become increasingly dominated by SpaceX, while China continues to press forward with state-backed launch and satellite projects. That shift has sharpened Europe's concerns over strategic dependence and its relatively fragmented industrial base.

South Korea's September ICT Exports Surge Past US$75B on AI Demand

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 08:39:04 GMT

Driven by expanding global investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure, South Korea's ICT exports shattered previous records in September 2026. Shipments surged past the US$75 billion mark in a single month, anchored by semiconductor exports that topped US$60 billion, accounting for more than 80% of total ICT shipments.

AI server tracker: semiconductor testing and design services rally on compute demand

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:52:03 GMT

Within AI server tracking data, a clear parallel growth trajectory has emerged between semiconductor testing interface providers and chip design houses. Driven by the surge in artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), and custom ASIC developments, both sectors demonstrated substantial year-over-year revenue gains as of September 2026.

Telco giant builds Taiwan's high-speed computing network for AI agent era

Levi Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:37:08 GMT

Chunghwa Telecom president Rong-shy Lin said the shift from conversational AI to autonomous AI agents is reshaping enterprise adoption, making data governance, access controls and accountability critical to deployment at scale.

ASE unveils 18 advanced packaging projects with three universities

Charlene Chen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:26:37 GMT

ASE, together with National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU), and National Chung Cheng University (CCU), unveiled 18 technology research projects on October 16, focusing on advanced packaging integration and the development of critical processes and materials.

Bolt Graphics seeks US$100 million to challenge Nvidia, AMD beyond AI with Zeus GPU

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:20:00 GMT

US chip startup Bolt Graphics is seeking approximately US$100 million at a valuation of about US$700 million to develop graphics processors targeting scientific computing and professional rendering, challenging Nvidia and AMD in markets beyond AI acceleration.

Samsung to break ground on second Texas chip fab in November

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 07:01:23 GMT

Samsung Electronics plans to begin construction of its second semiconductor fabrication plant in Taylor, Texas, in November 2026, moving ahead with its US foundry expansion as its first facility prepares to begin operations by the end of the year.

Samsung, SK Hynix aim to ease AI memory bottlenecks with zHBM, HBF

Sherri Wang — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:57:00 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are developing new memory technologies to address growing bottlenecks in AI systems, with Samsung exploring a design that stacks high-bandwidth memory (HBM) directly above graphics processors and SK Hynix advancing high-bandwidth flash (HBF) to expand memory capacity for AI inference.

Delta says AI power gap will drive standalone microgrids

Charlene Chen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:31:26 GMT

Delta Electronics chairman Ping Cheng said at the 2026 Global Views Leaders Forum on October 15, 2026, that the world is entering an era of electrification, with AI data centers and EVs driving electricity demand beyond available supply. Delta is expanding its focus from power consumption to an integrated microgrid architecture spanning generation, transmission, distribution, energy storage and consumption, with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid-state transformers (SSTs) as its key products.

Taiwan forecasts 6.04% growth in 2027 on AI-driven exports

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:20:00 GMT

Taiwan's economy is projected to grow 6.04% in 2027 as expanding global AI-related capital spending boosts the island's exports, despite geopolitical conflicts and trade barriers weighing on global growth, Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC) Minister Yeh Chun-hsien said on October 15.

FICG eyes 4x optical communications capacity by 2027

Charlene Chen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 06:08:19 GMT

FICG is aggressively expanding optical communications production in Malaysia and China to meet surging AI-driven demand, which the company estimates is 3-4x current supply capacity. Chairman Leo Chien described the next three years as a "frenzied expansion period," with the company's Johor, Malaysia, facility set to increase capacity 4x by the end of 2027.

Volvo Cars and Nvidia expand partnership on automated driving

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:57:57 GMT

Volvo Cars and Nvidia are expanding their partnership to develop automated-driving technology for future Volvo vehicles, with potential implications for drivers worldwide. The system is designed to handle highways, urban streets, and parking while gradually introducing eyes-off and mind-off driving, combining Volvo's safety expertise with Nvidia's sensors, computing, and software.

Samsung's chip and device chiefs head to Tokyo during Lee's visit

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 05:52:24 GMT

Five senior Samsung Electronics executives, including the heads of its semiconductor and consumer electronics businesses, reportedly traveled to Tokyo on October 13 while chairman Lee Jae-yong was visiting Japan, bringing together the company's three executive directors and key corporate decision-makers as it expands cooperation with Japanese semiconductor suppliers.

Holtek targets higher-value MCU markets with AI server cooling orders set to lift 2027 revenue

Levi Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:54:44 GMT

Taiwan-based microcontroller (MCU) manufacturer Holtek Semiconductor unveiled its 2026 product roadmap on October 15, focusing on four core areas: smart protection, green energy and intelligent control, edge AI computing, and general-purpose applications.

Supermicro appoints Mark Long as chief financial officer

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:30:31 GMT

Supermicro Computer has appointed Mark Long as chief financial officer, bringing an experienced technology finance executive to lead the company as it expands its artificial intelligence and IT infrastructure operations. The leadership change at the US-based company could influence its financial execution, capital allocation, and ability to serve customers across markets.

Analysis: Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan's power of humility — how one phone call helped reshape the chip giant's comeback

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:23:06 GMT

As the semiconductor industry enters the artificial intelligence (AI) era, Intel, once the dominant force in the PC market, has increasingly been viewed as a company that fell behind in the AI race.

US chipmakers rely more on overseas production than supplier data suggests, SIA finds

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:19:58 GMT

The US semiconductor industry sources 95% of its roughly US$27 billion in annual equipment and materials purchases from companies headquartered in the US, Europe and Japan. However, only 68% of those inputs are actually manufactured or assembled in those regions, exposing geographic dependencies that supplier headquarters data can obscure, according to an October 9 report from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

Nvidia deepens China gaming push with DLSS 5 partnerships

Yunnie Cheng — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:14:32 GMT

Nvidia is expanding its presence in China's gaming market by bringing its next-generation Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 5 neural rendering technology to titles from major Chinese developers, including NetEase, Tencent, Perfect World's Hotta Studio, and Beijing Lingyoufang Network Technology.

Myson Century signs 3 AUSA MOUs for defense expansion

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 04:10:47 GMT

Myson Century, a subsidiary of Sun Yad Group, signed strategic memorandums of understanding with IXI EW, SafeSky Systems USA, and Global Ordnance Group at the Association of the United States Army's 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition, or AUSA 2026. The agreements link counter-drone, unmanned vehicle, and defense supply-chain resources, creating opportunities to expand the company's product portfolio and develop markets in Taiwan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

DIGITIMES Insights: China's automakers pursue three humanoid robot strategies as EV supply chains offer 60% overlap

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:58:23 GMT

Chinese automakers are accelerating their expansion into humanoid robotics, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, electric drive systems, and supply chain resources developed through their automotive businesses, according to DIGITIMES Intelligence.

Analysis: TSMC-GF deal moves mature nodes into AI packaging: What it means for China

Lily Hess — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:53:56 GMT

As global wafer capacity expands rapidly, TSMC and GlobalFoundries (GF) are highlighting a fast-growing market for mature processes serving advanced applications. In particular, demand for silicon interposers, through-silicon vias (TSVs), and embedded deep trench capacitors (eDTCs) in advanced packaging is creating a sizable blue-ocean market for mature-node capacity.

LCD TV panel prices struggle to rise in 4Q26

Charlene Chen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:48:26 GMT

LCD TV panel prices face a tug-of-war in the fourth quarter of 2026 as panel makers push for increases while LCD TV brands maintain relatively steady purchasing and contract manufacturers remain cautious. Rising upstream material costs and continued production controls should help prices stabilize, but a broad-based increase remains unlikely.

BOE's 24-layer glass substrates reach AI chip packaging trials, with mass production still ahead

Levi Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:42:10 GMT

Chinese display manufacturer BOE has made further progress in advanced semiconductor packaging, extending its panel manufacturing expertise to glass-core packaging substrates. At an investor relations event on October 15, BOE said it had completed the full manufacturing process for glass-core substrates, producing 24-layer samples measuring more than 100 × 100mm. The samples have been delivered to customers and passed multiple reliability tests, with further validation underway.

Taiwan's Chun Yuan Steel sees 4Q26 auto surge, expands into AI robotics

Willis Ke — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:36:33 GMT

Chun Yuan Steel expects Taiwan's auto market to deliver its strongest quarter of 2026 in the final three months, lifting full-year new-vehicle sales to 430,000 units from 411,000 in 2025. The steel processor also anticipates fresh growth opportunities as Kuozui Motors begins exporting finished vehicles to Japan, potentially strengthening Taiwan's position in Toyota Motor's global production network.

Charts: YMTC bets on premium eSSDs to take on Samsung

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:26:45 GMT

AI-driven NAND demand is entering a supercycle, positioning Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) as the fastest-growing memory supplier. According to Counterpoint Technology Market Research, YMTC's revenue in 2026 is projected to grow six times faster than that of the overall industry and its peers as it expands aggressively into server-related business.

China's chip earnings boom masks a widening gap between AI processor demand, fading DRAM, NAND price gains

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:17:46 GMT

China's semiconductor and computing hardware companies reported or forecast strong earnings growth in the first nine months of 2026, fueled by AI infrastructure investment, demand for domestic processors and optical interconnects, and recovering chip markets. However, diverging quarterly results reveal a widening gap between AI-driven growth and the traditional memory pricing cycle.

AIDC white paper flags energy efficiency, power management as key to site selection

Kevin Wang — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:13:54 GMT

As the high power density of AI data centers (AIDCs) becomes an increasingly pressing issue, industry experts are highlighting the importance of power management and power usage effectiveness (PUE). To alleviate bottlenecks in grid infrastructure, AIDC projects must assess feeder capacity, matching accuracy for renewable power sources, and power management when selecting sites.

Japan bets on physical AI as Murata, AWS, Hitachi showcase self-learning robots at CEATEC 2026

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 03:02:08 GMT

Japan is stepping up its push into physical AI, with major technology companies and research institutions showcasing advances in autonomous robot learning, motion sensing, and agricultural automation at CEATEC 2026.

Nvidia-backed CoreWeave bond spike highlights debt risks in the AI infrastructure boom

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:52:59 GMT

A sharp sell-off across artificial intelligence infrastructure stocks has turned a quiet worry about debt into a main concern for Wall Street. The sudden drop in stock and bond prices for CoreWeave, a fast-growing cloud provider backed by Nvidia, has raised questions about whether the heavy borrowing used to fund the AI expansion is becoming too risky.

Samsung's India chip research arm opens quantum lab at IISc

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:39:24 GMT

Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR), Samsung's semiconductor research and development center in India, and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) inaugurated a Quantum Research Lab on the IISc campus in Bengaluru on October 15, 2026, aiming to build India's research capabilities in quantum technologies and advanced semiconductors.

LG Innotek targets 2028 glass substrate supply as it expands beyond smartphones

Sherri Wang — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:39:20 GMT

LG Innotek expects to begin supplying glass substrates for advanced semiconductor packaging around 2028 and sees its chip substrate business improving in 2027, as the South Korean components maker seeks to reduce its reliance on smartphone camera modules and expand into automotive technologies.

AI buyers lock in capacity, driving Taiwan private investment to record NT$6.95T

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:34:03 GMT

Strong global demand for AI infrastructure hardware is prompting buyers to secure capacity through advance payments and long-term contracts, driving Taiwan's semiconductor, packaging and testing, memory, substrate, and equipment supply chains to expand aggressively. Private investment in Taiwan is projected to reach a record NT$6.9539 trillion (US$215.4 billion) in 2026 as companies build factories, purchase equipment, import raw materials, and hire workers to meet customer demand.

Chip inflation drives Samsung, LG toward premium TVs

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:32:40 GMT

Global TV market growth is under pressure, but premium models are poised to expand. As rising memory prices fuel "chip inflation" and squeeze margins on budget TVs, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are reshaping their product mixes, strengthening OLED and Micro RGB offerings to support pricing through picture quality and feature differentiation.

Japan's automakers turn to vehicle-road coordination to advance autonomous driving

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:31:16 GMT

Japan's automakers are presenting autonomous-driving systems that connect vehicles with road infrastructure as a route toward deployment, highlighting a strategic choice beyond vehicle-only artificial intelligence. At Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2026, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota are demonstrating technologies that combine onboard systems, cloud data, sensors, and communications to improve safety.

US pushes AI exports as chip industry flags supplier gaps and reshoring costs

Lily Hess — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:30:34 GMT

At SEMICON West 2026, US officials and lawmakers promoted domestic manufacturing and AI export policies, while industry executives warned that supplier shortages, the premium for US-made products, and export controls could undermine the country's semiconductor ambitions.

Meta releases Muse Spark Open weights, reversing its closed course with conditions

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:27:11 GMT

Meta on Thursday released the weights of Muse Spark Open, which it calls the most capable US open-weight model to date. The company said the multimodal model has 816 billion total parameters (42 billion active) and a one-million-token context window, and is built for coding and agentic work. Meta said the weights can be downloaded from Hugging Face, Amazon SageMaker AI, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Foundry. It also said the model received extra safety post-training and met the thresholds of its internal risk framework.

TSMC deal could slow Musk's Terafab, but US suppliers still see upside

Scarlett Yu — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:24:42 GMT

The feasibility of Terafab's proposed construction was a major topic of discussion among semiconductor suppliers during SEMICON West 2026, held October 13–15 in San Francisco.

Hyundai Motor Group plans US$15.5 billion India investment from 2026

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:19:32 GMT

Hyundai Motor Group plans to invest approximately US$15.5 billion in India from 2026, expanding production, research, and partnerships as it positions the country as a base for domestic growth and exports to emerging markets. The commitment could strengthen India's role in the group's mobility strategy and broaden its manufacturing footprint.

CXMT targets DDR5 RDIMMs by end of 2026; SiCarrier showcases China's advanced chipmaking equipment

Levi Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:19:07 GMT

China's leading DRAM manufacturer CXMT has disclosed progress in its 4F² DRAM architecture and plans to introduce DDR5 registered dual in-line memory modules (RDIMMs) by the end of 2026, drawing renewed attention to the country's development of next-generation memory technologies.

TSMC details pricing, confirms agentic AI boosts CPU demand

Charlene Chen — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:07:43 GMT

TSMC addressed pricing adjustments, CPUs, and advanced packaging at its earnings briefing on October 15, 2026, confirming that demand for CPUs related to agentic AI continues to rise as overall AI demand remains strong.

DayOne doubles Johor data center financing to MYR30 billion as billings pass 1GW

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:01:25 GMT

Singapore-based data center developer DayOne has secured an additional MYR15 billion (US$3.67 billion) in financing from a consortium of seven banks to expand hyperscale data center capacity in Johor, Malaysia, Reuters reported on October 13, 2026. Together with MYR15 billion in multicurrency financing secured in 2025, the platform now stands at MYR30 billion, according to a joint statement from the lenders cited by The Business Times.

Tong Yang sees stronger 4Q26 margins, but shipping, costs remain risks

Jingyue Hsiao — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:53:08 GMT

Tong Yang Industry expects capacity utilization to reach 90%–95% in the fourth quarter of 2026, as North American aftermarket orders recover and support margins during the seasonal peak. But tight container capacity and higher raw-material costs could shape performance, deputy general manager San-Liang Huang said, as shipping remains constrained.

AI traffic reshapes e-commerce as Shopline GMV rises 20% in 2026

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:47:29 GMT

As GenAI accelerates, e-commerce is shifting from traditional traffic management toward AI-assisted shopping and intelligent operations. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) e-commerce platform Shopline said its gross merchandise value (GMV) grew 20% in 2026 from 2025, 2.5 times the market average, highlighting strong performance amid intense retail competition.

Analysis: TSMC's chipmaking edge strengthens C.C. Wei's hand — from advanced-node capacity to Musk's Terafab

Levi Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:36:20 GMT

TSMC reported record earnings for the third quarter of 2026 and forecast a further 15% increase in fourth-quarter revenue, putting full-year US dollar revenue growth on course to reach 44%. Yet supply chain sources say the earnings call carried a more consequential message: TSMC's increasingly explicit assertion of the bargaining power afforded by its lead in advanced process technology and manufacturing scale.

Chinese chip toolmakers buy into hybrid bonding as Huawei looks beyond transistor shrinking

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:45:00 GMT

China's largest chip equipment makers are buying their way into hybrid bonding, the advanced packaging step that global players from Besi to ASML are also chasing. For Chinese firms, analysts say, the stakes are different: with US export controls limiting access to the tools needed for leading-edge transistor scaling, stacking and connecting chips more densely has become one of the few routes left to narrow the performance gap, an approach Huawei has framed as its Tau scaling law.

ASML patents point to a hybrid bonder as chip toolmakers crowd into packaging

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:35:00 GMT

As it becomes harder and costlier to shrink transistors, advanced packaging has become the place chip equipment makers look to for their next leg of growth, and ASML appears to be preparing its second move into it. Patent filings analyzed by research firm SemiAnalysis suggest the Dutch lithography leader is building a die-to-wafer (D2W) hybrid bonder, a tool that would pit it against Besi, the current leader, and a growing group of front-end rivals chasing the same market.

AI investment risks rise as China models gain ground

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:29:00 GMT

As interest rates fluctuate, bond yields rise, and Chinese AI models intensify competition, market attention is shifting from technological development and infrastructure expansion to investment returns and long-term debt-servicing capacity. The AI industry continues to attract capital but must also prove that its business models can generate profits.

Intel silent on Israeli Fab 28 output after deadly blast, leaving CPU supply outlook unclear

DIGITIMES — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:23:36 GMT

Two workers have died, and a third remains in serious condition after an explosion at Intel's Kiryat Gat chip plant in southern Israel on October 14. Intel has not yet said whether production at the site, which makes chips on its capacity-constrained Intel 7 process, has been affected.

Thunder Tiger debuts new loitering munition drone at AUSA 2026

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:57:29 GMT

Thunder Tiger showcased its latest defense systems at AUSA 2026, the Association of the United States Army's annual exhibition in the US, marking its fourth consecutive appearance at the event and its largest booth to date. The Taiwan-based company presented three key products in a bid to capture US defense opportunities.

Nvidia unveils PTFE switch board at OCP, names Taiwan partners

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:57:08 GMT

Nvidia showcased the latest developments in its MGX server platform ecosystem at the OCP Global Summit 2026, unveiling for the first time a switch board sample using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and naming seven supply-chain partners. Taiwan's Flexium Interconnect and Taiflex Scientific joined Chinese suppliers Victory Giant Technology, Shennan Circuits, Shenzhen Kinwong Electronic, Shengyi Technology, and US-based TTM Technologies on the partner list.

Samsung SDI targets 2027 LFP BBU battery production

Charlene Chen — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:56:51 GMT

Samsung SDI will begin mass-producing cylindrical lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for AI servers as early as June 2027, marking the first adoption of cylindrical LFP backup batteries by a South Korean battery maker. The move expands the company's product portfolio beyond its traditional focus on ternary batteries as AI data centers drive rapidly growing demand for battery backup units (BBUs).

AI power crunch drives data center demand for self-generation

Kevin Wang — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:56:37 GMT

The focus of the global AI race has shifted from securing advanced chips to securing access to electricity, with electrical power now becoming the deciding factor for computing capacity. As power consumption surges at AI data centers (AIDCs), conventional public grids are increasingly facing bottlenecks, and self-generation and improved grid resilience are now requirements in major data center construction projects worldwide.

MediaTek ASIC deal with ByteDance would expand data center push

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:56:21 GMT

ByteDance is in advanced talks with MediaTek to purchase custom data center chips, with the companies potentially reaching an agreement soon, according to people familiar with the matter. A deal would help ByteDance secure critical chip supplies while expanding MediaTek's data center business and intensifying competition with Qualcomm and other chipmakers.

Linde LienHwa tackles hydrogen transport dilemma with HaaS

Yunnie Cheng — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:56:01 GMT

As hydrogen development and applications take center stage at Energy Taiwan 2026, industrial gas giant Linde LienHwa Group is introducing an end-to-end "Hydrogen-as-a-Service" (HaaS) business model. To support this push, the company plans to progressively localize vehicle assembly in Taiwan, expecting tangible results as early as 2028, according to Jeffery Shan, vice president and head of Merchant & Clean Energy at Linde LienHwa.

Cloud AI absorbs resources as non-AI semiconductors face prolonged downturn

Lily Hess — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:55:35 GMT

Investment in AI data centers remains strong, but semiconductor growth is becoming increasingly concentrated in cloud AI, while the long-running decline in consumer technology prices has come to an abrupt halt. At a SEMICON West 2026 industry outlook session, Duncan Meldrum, an economist at Hilltop Economics, warned that the shift is putting additional pressure on the broader semiconductor market.

TSEC focuses overseas solar strategy on Japan rooftops

Lily Hess — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:53:37 GMT

TSEC is focusing its overseas expansion on Japan's rooftop solar market and expects Taiwan's solar installations to recover in 2027 from a market low point. For the Taiwan-based solar manufacturer, building a solar plant in the US remains an important direction, but it is not an immediate priority, as the company monitors the uncertainty around the US Minimum Import Price (MIP) policy.

TSMC excludes CPUs from AI accelerator growth forecast

Eifeh Strom — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:52:51 GMT

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) is seeing rising demand for CPUs related to agentic artificial intelligence (AI), but has not yet included CPUs in its calculations of AI accelerator demand growth. TSMC chairman C.C. Wei said at the company's earnings conference on October 15 that the company is maintaining its original, narrower definition of AI demand, mainly because it is difficult to clearly distinguish whether CPUs are used in traditional servers or AI servers. Actual demand also depends on how customers deploy the technology and configure their products.

Hesai moves beyond lidar as Kosmo targets physical AI's data bottleneck

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:52:23 GMT

As artificial intelligence increasingly blurs the boundary between the digital and physical worlds, complications associated with real-world deployment — particularly the extreme variability of physical environments — are emerging as a subtler configuration challenge in the industry spotlight.

China's 90%-localized EUV light source debuts at 15W, exposing the gap to commercial chipmaking

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:52:06 GMT

Chinese semiconductor technology start-up Langdao Silex (Shanghai) Technology has publicly unveiled an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source prototype with a claimed 90% localization rate, marking progress in China's efforts to develop domestic lithography technology. However, the system remains three to five years from mass production, with output power and long-term stability posing major engineering challenges.

Manus returns to China's AI agent race with US$500 million reset

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:51:43 GMT

As Manus, one of China's more distinctive AI startups, became entangled in the high-profile unwinding of its acquisition by Meta, the startup's failed attempt to capture opportunities beyond China left the industry speculating about its next steps after an abrupt regulatory reversal.

China's YMTC targets 9,600 MT/s with 4F² DRAM design

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:51:20 GMT

China's Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) is developing a next-generation 4F² DRAM design targeting data transfer speeds of 9,600 megatransfers per second (MT/s), expanding beyond NAND flash as the company pursues a CNY33 billion (approx. US$4.93 billion) Shanghai initial public offering.

Interview: The AI economy needs US$6T in funding — but from where?

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:49:10 GMT

AI is clearly making an enormous impact on the global economy, with capabilities extending from language chatbots to agentic teams and the physical realm within just a few years. A new report by consulting firm Bain takes stock of AI's effects on businesses so far and projects how it could shape the near future.

Samsung's Austin chip workforce shrinks 32% as Taylor 2nm fab nears opening

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:48:28 GMT

Samsung Electronics' semiconductor workforce in Austin, Texas, shrank 32% in 2025 as local operating expenditures plunged nearly 75%, contrasting with increased activity at its nearby Taylor foundry, which is preparing to begin operations by the end of 2026 and gradually ramp up 2nm chip production.

LG Innotek eyes 2027 chip substrate growth as Big Tech supply talks continue

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:44:55 GMT

South Korea's LG Innotek expects its semiconductor substrate business to improve in 2027 as it pursues long-term supply agreements (LTAs) with major technology companies and prepares to enter the high-end AI accelerator market. Under this strategy, the company aims to secure customer commitments before expanding production capacity as it seeks to diversify beyond smartphone camera modules.

AI server tracker: Optical suppliers' September revenue jumps 90%

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:44:38 GMT

Taiwan's optical communications suppliers posted a sharp revenue increase in September 2026, far outpacing major power supply manufacturers in percentage growth as demand for faster data center connectivity continued to expand. The six optical suppliers tracked by DIGITIMES reported combined revenue of NT$3.73 billion (approx. US$116 million), up 90.2% year-over-year and 16.4% from August.

LINE Taiwan pushes AI services as it marks 15 years and deepens anti-fraud role

Jingyue Hsiao — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:44:07 GMT

LINE Taiwan marked its 15th year in the market with a strategy shift that signals broader ambitions beyond messaging. The company is expanding into AI-powered daily services, aiming to connect users, brands, and merchants through agentic AI tools, while also strengthening account security and anti-fraud defenses.

Qualcomm advances complete AI infrastructure platform as agentic AI reshapes competition

Lily Hess — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 23:43:44 GMT

Qualcomm has historically provided standard chips primarily through its Snapdragon product line, serving a broad range of end customers. After officially launching its Dragonfly data center product line in June 2026, the company expanded its business to include multiple hyperscalers.

Anthropic targets low-conflict sites for Australian data centers

DIGITIMES — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:24:00 GMT

Anthropic plans to place new data centers in Australia away from densely populated areas, using renewable energy and previously developed sites to reduce conflicts with residents. The US artificial intelligence company is evaluating proposals from state and local governments competing for its investment, while expanding computing capacity in the country.