DIGITIMES Asia: News and Insight of the Global Supply Chain

Commentary: Intel turns AI packaging crunch into foundry comeback test

Levi Li — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:59:51 GMT

Intel's foundry revival may depend less on beating TSMC at the most advanced process nodes than on whether it can turn AI-driven demand into a profitable advanced packaging business.

Analysis: Advanced packaging shifts from TSMC dominance to industry collaboration

Charlene Chen — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:59:37 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has repeatedly backed TSMC's price hikes, saying its advanced process and supply-chain services are difficult and highly valuable. As AI chip demand surges, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Micron, and other top semiconductor makers are also reshaping their supply-chain strategy to deepen cooperation on mature-node foundry services and advanced packaging.

Huawei's Tau Law faces its hardest test: chip yield, not theory

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:59:22 GMT

Huawei has introduced Tau Law, a semiconductor design framework built around LogicFolding, as a potential route for China to improve chip performance under US technology restrictions. The idea is to shorten critical signal paths and extend gains as Moore's Law slows, but its commercial value will hinge on yield, cost, and heat dissipation — not theory.

India's corporate giants race to build backbone of its AI economy

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:59:09 GMT

India's biggest business groups are ramping up spending on digital infrastructure, with Reliance Industries and Adani Group focusing on data centers, energy, and artificial intelligence. Their plans point to a wider shift in the Indian industry toward building the infrastructure needed for AI domestically.

Chinese brands fight for global trust amidst geopolitical turbulence

Emily Kuo — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:58:58 GMT

Chinese consumer electronics and tech brands have made significant strides in quality and innovation over the past few years, yet trust remains a persistent challenge in Western markets. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and media framing have added further complexity to that dynamic.

Commentary: Will AI sink or save the planet?

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:58:47 GMT

AI holds enormous potential to benefit the environment, but it simultaneously consumes massive amounts of water and energy. One generative AI data center can use up to 5 million gallons of water a day, and AI as a whole draws as much power as 100,000 households. A single AI query can use up to 1,000 times more electricity than a traditional Google search. The result is an urgent paradox: AI is becoming one of the most sophisticated tools ever built to combat climate change, yet it is also one of the fastest-growing strains on the planet's resources.

Interview: Agentic AI moves from copilot to co-worker in enterprise procurement— Pactum's case for autonomous execution

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:58:34 GMT

Agentic AI is reshaping corporate procurement by moving beyond decision support to autonomous execution. Pactum is using it to automate tasks such as requisition handling, supplier communication, and compliance checks, helping enterprises manage procurement more efficiently across large supplier networks.

Lenovo expands Tianjin AI server hub with 2027 mass production plan

Levi Li — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:58:22 GMT

Lenovo Group is stepping up its AI infrastructure push. Lenovo chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang said on May 28 at the 2026 World Intelligence Expo that the company will invest in Tianjin to build a next-generation AI computing product R&D and manufacturing center, with mass production planned for 2027, as Lenovo seeks a larger share of the AI infrastructure market.

Nvidia's Jensen Huang says no need to compare or choose between Taiwan and South Korea

Eifeh Strom — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:58:01 GMT

At a Korea Partner Night event held in Taipei, Taiwan, ahead of Computex 2026, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said Taiwan and South Korea occupy distinctly different positions in the technology industry and do not need to be compared nor does a choice between the two need to be made.

Taiwan networking firms begin Wi-Fi 8 validation ahead of standard finalisation

Levi Li — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 09:18:13 GMT

Wi-Fi 7 has yet to reach mass adoption, but the networking supply chain is already preparing for the next generation. Sercomm, WNC, Zyxel, and Gemtek have showcased Wi-Fi 8 technology roadmaps at major international trade shows such as CES and MWC, while some networking equipment makers, including CyberTAN, have included Wi-Fi 8 routers and mesh products in their development plans.

SK Hynix Cheongju plant fire triggers HF leak

Charlene Chen — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 09:10:34 GMT

SK Hynix's Cheongju campus was hit by a fire on June 1, 2026, prompting the emergency evacuation of all 3,600 workers from the M15 and M15X plants. Seven people were taken to the hospital after hydrogen fluoride (HF) leaked in the incident, which came less than a week after a separate fire-related event at the site.

Formosa Plastics Group shifts to AI, semiconductors, and grid opportunities

Rodney Chan — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 08:24:15 GMT

Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) is stepping up its transformation into higher-value businesses, with AI, semiconductors, and power grid opportunities emerging as key new growth engines as the petrochemical industry faces a downcycle that started in 2023.

Nvidia confirms Vera Rubin in full production with 150 Taiwan suppliers powering the ramp

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:57:58 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced at GTC Taipei on June 1st that the Vera Rubin platform has entered full production, with Taiwan's server makers and global supply chain partners manufacturing systems at scale for AI labs, cloud providers, and hyperscalers worldwide.

Microsoft previews Surface Laptop Ultra and AI-focused Windows platform ahead of Build

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:38:06 GMT

Microsoft used Nvidia GTC to preview Surface Laptop Ultra and its broader Windows platform strategy ahead of Build, highlighting a shift toward on-device AI agents and developer workloads. The company emphasized deeper Windows 11 integration with Nvidia hardware, aiming to unify performance, security, and AI tooling across next-generation PCs.

GTC Taipei 2026: As AI automates its own development, demand shifts to human judgment

Sherri Wang — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:29:22 GMT

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how industries define talent. In the next phase of AI, the most valuable workers may not be those who train models, but those who understand demand, define problems, judge value, and oversee the direction of AI development, according to National Taiwan University electrical engineering professor Hung-Yi Lee.

LianDe Holdings to mass produce liquid-cooling floating fittings for US chipmaker supply chain

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:19:10 GMT

LianDe Holdings-KY moved into AI server liquid-cooling components and secured a spot in a US chipmaker supply chain, the firm announced, with product validation underway and volume production slated to begin in the second half of 2026. The company has developed a liquid-cooling floating fitting designed to pair with quick disconnects used between coolant lines and servers to support liquid-cooled AI servers.

ByteDance reportedly developing Groq-style chip with InnoStar

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:12:36 GMT

ByteDance is creating a new chip similar to those made by Nvidia partner Groq to help the Chinese creator of TikTok handle its AI inference loads, according to The Information. Its expansion into language processing units (LPUs) marks another step in the development of its domestic AI infrastructure.

RoboSense dominates LiDAR for robotics with 1,458.8% YoY shipment surge in 1Q26

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 07:06:46 GMT

RoboSense Technology, an AI-driven robotics technology company, announced a historic first quarter of the year in which the robotics business exceeded 50% of total LiDAR shipments for the first time in the company's history. Its dual-engine strategy across ADAS and robotics continues to drive growth, building on its first-ever profitable quarter in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Foxconn expands France push with Tessalia chip-packaging venture, Bull AI project

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 06:59:25 GMT

Foxconn is expanding its footprint in France through two projects spanning artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor packaging, as the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer deepens its role in Europe's efforts to build advanced computing and chip capabilities.

Suntek maintains upbeat 2H26 outlook for Taiwan's auto market, as tariffs, energy prices remain key

Kevin Wang — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 06:58:42 GMT

PG Union Corporation, the Taiwanese distributor for the luxury car brand Alfa Romeo, launched the Alfa Romeo Junior on May 27, which comes in the Ibrida hybrid and Elettrica 280 Veloce pure electric high-performance variants. Speaking at the launch event, Suntek Motor Group's Ray Wu pointed out that Taiwan's auto market fell by roughly 4% in the first four months of 2026, but Suntek expects better sales in the second half of the year compared to the first, and full-year sales to improve on its past performance.

Compeq says AI infrastructure will drive sharp revenue and profit gains in 2027 and 2028

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 06:58:28 GMT

Compeq Manufacturing Co. told shareholders on May 28 that AI infrastructure demand has transformed the printed circuit board industry and will push high-end PCB manufacturing complexity, reliability requirements and product gross margins higher, leading the firm to expect significant revenue and profit growth in 2027 and 2028. The company held its 2026 annual shareholders meeting where executives outlined the strategic shift toward AI servers, high-end switches, satellite communications and optical communications as core growth drivers.

Zhen Ding sees AI reshaping PCB's role as demand accelerates

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 06:55:49 GMT

PCB maker Zhen Ding said AI is driving a structural shift in electronics, redefining the role of printed circuit boards from passive signal connections to critical platforms for high-performance computing and system integration. Chairman Charles Shen made the remarks at the company's 2026 annual shareholders' meeting.

Delta Electronics sees AI data center power shift and manufacturing overhaul shaping future competition

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 05:59:32 GMT

Delta Electronics president and COO Simon Chang said the company's long investment cycle in power technology is positioning it for rising AI data center demand and a broader manufacturing shift. He made the remarks on June 1 during a pre-event dialogue ahead of Nvidia GTC Taipei.

Eight PC brands commit to Nvidia-MediaTek RTX Spark as AI agent laptops take shape for fall

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 05:05:48 GMT

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled RTX Spark at Computex Taipei this morning, announcing a new superchip designed to power a generation of Windows laptops and compact desktops built around on-device AI agents. The announcement, made at GTC Taipei on May 31, comes as Computex 2026 opens in Taipei with AI hardware dominating the show floor. Devices from major PC manufacturers are expected to ship this fall.

Top memory maker executives gather in Taiwan in preparation for Computex 2026

Charlene Chen — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 04:36:00 GMT

After Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang wrapped up his "trillion-dollar banquet" for Taiwan AI supply-chain giants, GTC Taipei is set to become a highlight of Computex 2026. Nvidia will also host its first "South Korean partners night" in Taiwan.

Meta reportedly to expand AI hardware push with pendant, smart glasses roadmap

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 04:20:56 GMT

Meta is reportedly accelerating its push into AI-powered hardware with plans that include a wearable AI pendant, an expanded lineup of smart glasses, and a new enterprise-focused service, according to a report by The Information. The initiative underscores Meta's effort to establish a broader ecosystem around its AI services as competition intensifies among major technology companies seeking to define the next generation of consumer computing devices.

India's PLI 2.0 rethink signals a harder push into deeper electronics manufacturing

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 04:19:19 GMT

India is reportedly revising its smartphone incentive scheme to raise local value addition above 55%, a move that could reshape the country's electronics strategy. The shift reflects growing concern that the existing system has turned India into an assembly hub without building enough domestic manufacturing depth.

Nvidia expects AI boom to keep supply tight beyond 2027

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 04:16:57 GMT

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said the artificial intelligence industry is entering a rapid growth phase that could keep revenue rising sharply into 2027, while supply-chain bottlenecks are likely to persist as demand continues to outstrip capacity.

AI spillover puts CPUs and ASICs on Computex stage

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 04:01:33 GMT

Computex 2026 will open under the theme "AI Together," with attention shifting beyond Nvidia's training-focused hardware to AI computing, robotics, smart mobility, and next-generation technologies. The event is likely to highlight a wider set of suppliers as AI moves deeper into inference, edge applications, and custom chips.

Exclusive: TSMC SoIC deepens AI chipmaker lock-in while Huawei hits process wall

Levi Li — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:39:38 GMT

The global semiconductor industry is at an inflection point, split between those who can still shrink transistors and those who can no longer do so. US export controls and the denial of EUV lithography equipment have effectively capped China's front-end chip manufacturing at older process nodes, while Taiwan's TSMC extends its lead by layering chips vertically in three dimensions — a technique known as 3D stacking — binding the world's top AI chip designers ever more tightly to its ecosystem.

US moves to block Nvidia AI chips from reaching Chinese firms overseas

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:39:29 GMT

The US Commerce Department has moved to close a potential export-control loophole that may have allowed Chinese technology companies to obtain advanced AI chips, including Nvidia's Blackwell processors, through subsidiaries outside China, according to Reuters.

Nvidia courts Korea's industrial giants ahead of Computex

Jingyue Hsiao — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:31:40 GMT

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang's pre-Computex meetings in Taipei are drawing close attention from South Korean companies seeking a bigger role in the global AI supply chain. With demand for AI infrastructure rising, their interest reflects how the next phase of AI development could shape worldwide competition, partnerships, and technology access.

MediaTek touts One MediaTek strategy, upbeat on ASIC ASPs

Charlene Chen — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:27:53 GMT

MediaTek held a media event ahead of Computex, with several top executives taking part as the company highlighted progress in AI data centers and its broader "One MediaTek" strategy. The event opened with Rahul Sandil, newly appointed general manager of global marketing and communications, followed by speeches from president and COO Joe Chen, corporate vice president of the data center and compute business group Vince Hu, and vice president and general manager of the auto business Mike Chang.

Taiwan gains partial US Section 232 relief, seeks tariff-free semiconductor quotas

Willis Ke — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:27:09 GMT

Taiwan has secured preferential treatment under US Section 232 tariffs for most exports other than semiconductors after months of negotiations with Washington, but uncertainty remains over proposed semiconductor measures. With chips accounting for the bulk of Taiwan's exports to the US, Taipei is seeking tariff-free quotas and company-specific exemptions before any new duties are imposed.

China to tighten controls on tech, data and talent flows in new overseas investment rules

DIGITIMES — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 03:21:47 GMT

China's State Council announced new regulations on June 1 that will tighten controls on overseas investment, restricting the export and transfer of prohibited goods, technologies, services and related data. The regulations were approved at the State Council's 83rd executive meeting on April 17 and will take effect on July 1, 2026, the announcement said, requiring firms and investors to comply with approval, filing, information reporting and cross-border capital registration procedures when investing abroad.