DIGITIMES: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

China sets first AI-brain-computer interface medical device standard

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:56:45 GMT

China has introduced what it says is the world's first medical-device standard for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that use AI to process electroencephalogram (EEG) data, marking a step toward tighter regulation and commercialization of the emerging technology.

Hyundai Motor Group bets on data, Nvidia, and in-house AI to speed autonomous driving rollout

Jingyue Hsiao — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:41:28 GMT

Hyundai Motor Group is moving to standardize its autonomous driving hardware, deepen its data pipeline, and accelerate in-house AI development as it prepares a staggered rollout of mass-production vehicles from 2028 through 2029. The strategy highlights how the group plans to compete not only on vehicle features, but also on learning speed, data scale, and software iteration.

Xiaomi-backed Nuclei Sys tests public markets with RISC-V expansion still costly

Levi Li — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:33:54 GMT

Chinese RISC-V chip designer Nuclei System Technology has formally begun its IPO process, seeking fresh capital while heavy R&D spending continues to outweigh revenue despite gross margins above 80%.

2nm capacity crunch may keep smartphone SoC makers on split-node strategy through 2027

Scarlett Yu — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 01:19:03 GMT

In 2026, major smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) vendors began moving selected flagship processors to 2nm technology, seeking not only to secure sufficient capacity but also to deliver meaningful upgrades in technical specifications.

Trump calls AI slowdown a conspiracy that helps China, closing off Washington support

DIGITIMES — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:55:07 GMT

Calls from leading US AI developers to slow frontier model development are colliding with the rivalry they were partly meant to manage. Within days of Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's proposal, US President Donald Trump cast the push as a conspiracy that benefits China, Chinese state media called it a US containment strategy, and European governments said halting AI was not an option, leaving little common ground for the coordinated slowdown its backers say is needed.

Memory makers tighten supply as DRAM price rally extends into 2027

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:43:42 GMT

As memory vendors continue signing long-term agreements (LTAs), the supply-demand imbalance is set to worsen in 2027. Gerry Chen, general manager of Team Group, revealed that module makers have recently received "friendly notices" from upstream memory manufacturers. These notices explicitly state that shipment allocations will be drastically cut in 2027, creating a massive supply gap for DRAM. Upstream manufacturers have reportedly sold out nearly all of their capacity for 2027 through 2028.

SiPh shifts optical module bottleneck upstream: from device manufacturing to laser-grade substrate supply

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:42:49 GMT

The market value of optical modules used in data centers is projected to grow from US$12.6 billion in 2025 to US$45.4 billion by 2030. Volume shipments of 1.6T modules are set to scale up starting in 2026, followed by initial revenue contributions from 3.2T modules in 2028. Silicon photonics (SiPh) serves as the core architecture underpinning this growth trajectory, with the majority of modules at 800G and above already transitioning to SiPh designs.

Phoenix Pioneer Technology AI power substrate order visibility extends to 1Q27

Yunnie Cheng — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:41:39 GMT

IC substrate manufacturer Phoenix Pioneer Technology (PPt) turned profitable in the first half of 2026, driven by strong momentum in its advanced AI power substrate business. Production lines are running at full capacity, with order visibility clearly extending into the first quarter of 2027. Notably, end-system customers are bypassing OSAT providers to negotiate long-term agreements (LTAs) directly with the company.

Nvidia, MediaTek deepen 20-year chip ties

Charlene Chen — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:38:34 GMT

Nvidia and MediaTek have recently drawn market attention after Nvidia invested US$3.5 billion in MediaTek convertible bonds, expanding cooperation into custom AI chips, AI PCs, automotive, and data centers. But their overlap began more than 20 years ago, during competition in the PC chipset market, when MediaTek, ALi, ULi, and Nvidia were already connected.

Wuliangye skips carmaking, turns liquor waste into silicon-carbon anodes

Levi Li — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:37:52 GMT

Chinese baijiu (white liquor) producer Wuliangye, or "Five Grain Liquid," is moving into battery materials by turning distillers' grains, a liquor-production by-product, into biomass porous carbon for silicon-carbon anodes.

China reshapes cockpit display race, set to produce 84% of global AR-HUDs by 2031

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:37:07 GMT

S&P Global Mobility senior research analyst for connected cars and user experience in Asia-Pacific Quan Zhang shared the latest forecasts for the cockpit display and head-up display (HUD) markets.

Robot supply strategies split between US in-house tech and Chinese local ecosystem

Lily Hess — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:36:18 GMT

As humanoid robots gradually move from laboratory proofs-of-concept and enter industrial manufacturing and commercial service, their underlying motion control and environmental perception capabilities have become core indicators of product maturity. Major humanoid robot makers are actively seeking the best balance between performance and cost efficiency through architecture restructuring, in-house vertical integration, and supply-chain strategic cooperation.

Edimax, Comtrend 1H26 operations under pressure from weaker India orders, rising component costs

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:34:42 GMT

Network equipment maker Edimax Technology and its subsidiary Comtrend were affected by changes in customers' shipping cycles in the first half of 2026. Coupled with rising costs for key components such as memory and passive components, both revenue and gross margin fell from the same period in 2025. The group plans to seek a turnaround through product mix adjustments and expansion into new markets.

Commentary: CIOE 2026 reveals the harder race behind AI optical interconnects

Levi Li — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:33:31 GMT

The 2026 China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) closed with 800G and 1.6T optical modules still dominating the show floor, while near-packaged optics (NPO), co-packaged optics (CPO), and eXtra-dense Pluggable Optics (XPO) gained a visibly larger presence.

Global data center capex could reach US$31.6 trillion by 2050 as AI demand surges

Scarlett Yu — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:32:51 GMT

PwC and Oxford Economics jointly released their Global Data Centre Outlook 2026–50 in early September, projecting cumulative global data center capex of US$31.6 trillion by 2050 under the baseline scenario. If AI adoption accelerates, investment could approach US$50 trillion under an upside scenario.

Exclusive: China's 8-inch SiC suppliers turn to pricing discipline after 6-inch price war

Sherri Wang — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:31:58 GMT

As the silicon carbide (SiC) industry shifts from 6-inch to 8-inch wafer manufacturing, leading China-based substrate suppliers are taking a more disciplined approach to pricing and customer selection, seeking to protect margins and avoid a repeat of the severe price competition that has battered the 6-inch market.

Sigmaintell: Memory shortage to ease in 2027 before chip growth hits 2029 wall

Willis Ke — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:31:17 GMT

After months of tight supply and sharp price increases in 2026, the global memory market is expected to see its supply-demand gap narrow significantly in 2027 as DRAM capacity expands and demand patterns shift, according to Beijing-based Sigmaintell Consulting. The consultancy expects the memory and broader semiconductor markets to continue growing through 2028, but forecasts a potential pullback in 2029 as evolving AI applications reshape demand.

CXMT rides AI boom to 80% operating margin

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:30:22 GMT

China's leading DRAM maker, CXMT Corporation (CXMT), formerly known as ChangXin Memory Technologies, is reaping a windfall from price gains in general-purpose memory as the AI boom reshapes the market. In the second quarter of 2026, CXMT posted an operating margin of about 82% on an EBIT basis, ranking near the top among major memory vendors and underscoring how Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron's shift of more resources into HBM has made CXMT one of the biggest beneficiaries of the current price surge.

Swiss drone maker shifts production to Taiwan

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:29:10 GMT

Shinkong Synthetic Fibers Corporation (SSFC) is working with Swiss drone company Jedsy through its investment in Earthbook, bringing in a medical logistics service that has won approval from Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Jedsy also plans to increase investment in Taiwan and is reportedly preparing to move its main production base from Europe to Taiwan.

eCloudvalley expands enterprise AI Agent portfolio

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:28:44 GMT

eCloudvalley Digital Technology said enterprise adoption of generative AI is accelerating, with use cases expanding from single departments and single tasks to cross-functional workflows and core business processes. The company is rolling out an Enterprise AI Portfolio by integrating the technology and products of its group companies to target enterprise-grade AI.

The 1,000-watt problem: a TSMC veteran on the brute force forging Nvidia's AI chips

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:09:00 GMT

"He practically created a new era—the age of AI," Mou-Shiung Lin said of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Yet, the early TSMC executive describes the methodology behind that success in blunt terms: it is "violent."

Australia sets LNG reserve rules to protect domestic supply and cap prices

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:29:00 GMT

Australia introduced a liquefied natural gas reserve policy aimed at prioritizing domestic supply, while producers warned the rules could pressure prices if the market becomes oversupplied. The changes, scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2028, were reported by Bloomberg and Reuters as the government moved to secure gas for local buyers in the world's second-largest LNG exporting nation after Qatar.

Kokusai Electric gains from Hitachi split as AI memory demand surges

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:27:00 GMT

Kokusai Electric, the semiconductor equipment maker spun off from Hitachi and later acquired by KKR, has emerged as one of the clearest winners from Hitachi's restructuring. According to Nikkei, the company benefited from faster decision-making, continued research and development spending, and rising demand for advanced memory equipment as AI infrastructure spending accelerated in the second half of 2024.

LG sells 15 US image patents to Honor as IP monetization expands

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:24:00 GMT

LG Electronics has transferred 15 US image-related standard essential patents to Honor in late August 2026, according to South Korean media reports citing US Patent and Trademark Office records. The deal extends LG's strategy of monetizing communications and video technology assets following its exit from the smartphone market in 2021.

UAE commits EUR40B to expand Germany ties in AI, energy and defense

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:26:00 GMT

The United Arab Emirates said it plans to invest EUR40 billion in Germany, or about US$46 billion, across artificial intelligence, energy and defense as it deepens economic and strategic ties with Europe. According to Bloomberg, the commitment reflects Abu Dhabi's push to expand its role in fast-growing AI markets while broadening cooperation beyond the US.

Taiwan drone maker Twoway breaks into US defense supply chain with Oklahoma procurement deal

Charlene Chen — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:24:32 GMT

Twoway has signed an agency procurement contract with a purchasing delegation from Oklahoma, marking a breakthrough in its defense strategy as it expands North American deployment of FPV drones, various unmanned vehicles, and mobile security vehicles.

Yole Group takes outside capital for the first time, selling minority stake to new French fund

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:22:57 GMT

Yole Group, the French market-research firm that tracks the semiconductor, photonics and electronics supply chains, has sold a minority stake to Cervinvest Scale, the lower-midcap fund of Paris-based Cervinvest Capital. The deal, announced September 14, is the fund's first investment.

Fujitsu's Monaka targets 2027 mass production with TSMC 2nm boost

Charlene Chen — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:04:30 GMT

Fujitsu is preparing to take its advanced AI CPU overseas, with sales set to begin as early as 2027 in Japan, the US, and Asia. The company is betting on Monaka, a high-efficiency, power-saving chip developed with technologies refined through its work on the Fugaku supercomputer, to regain competitiveness in advanced logic ICs as demand for AI inference surges.

AI power demand pushes Taiwan to overhaul energy rules

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:00:05 GMT

Electricity demand from AI data centers and other high-tech industries is pushing governments and large cloud service providers to focus more on grid stability and backup supply. In Taiwan, amendments to the Energy Management Act marked the first major overhaul in nearly 10 years and added requirements that could reshape how enterprises plan new plants, expansions, and power infrastructure.

AI demand lifts UMC, VIS, PSMC revenue

Charlene Chen — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:54:23 GMT

After mature-node price competition from 2023 to 2025, AI demand has spread from GPUs and HBM to power management ICs (PMICs), power components, networking chips and specialty processes. At the same time, aggressive price cutting by mature-node players in China has eased, pushing quotes for Taiwan foundries broadly higher since the start of 2026.

Behind the BRICS handshake: How far can the China-India reset go?

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:38:46 GMT

China and India are again trying to stabilise one of Asia's most consequential bilateral relationships, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the BRICS summit in New Delhi to signal cooperation despite persistent tensions over the border, trade, investment and technology.

Samsung, SK Hynix reject US$19 billion power prepayment as Korea speeds chip expansion

DIGITIMES — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:24:52 GMT

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have rejected a proposal to prepay KRW25 trillion (approx. US$18.7 billion) in electricity bills, highlighting the financing challenge facing South Korea as it accelerates semiconductor expansion and the power infrastructure needed to support it.

STMicro lead times top 1 year, boosting Taiwan chip makers

Lily Hess — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:23:27 GMT

AI crowd-out effects are rippling through the supply chain, with lead times for microcontroller units (MCUs) from STMicroelectronics reportedly stretching beyond 1 year and triggering severe shortages in industrial control MCUs. That is opening the door for Taiwanese chip makers to push into high-end industrial MCUs, while supply is expected to remain tight through 2027 and stable delivery becomes key to defending market share.

DIGITIMES Insight: High NA EUV chips near production, but economics will be the pacemaker

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:20:00 GMT

ASML's latest update suggests High NA EUV is no longer confined to laboratory validation. With 10 systems already operating across four customers worldwide, and three more in shipment or installation, the technology is beginning to enter production ramp-up. The shift matters because adoption now hinges less on optical promise and more on whether chipmakers can justify the added cost.

Taiwan eases investment rules for AI center infrastructure projects

Rodney Chan — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 07:55:00 GMT

Taiwan's government has limited budgets to build the AI computing infrastructure the country needs, and infrastructure that a government runs itself cannot easily turn a profit. To get around that constraint, the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) introduced the AI computing center BOO (build-operate-own) public-private partnership project in April 2026, aiming to let private companies build and operate the infrastructure while tax incentives make the investment attractive to them.