Intel plans to invest a further US$15 million in AI chip startup SambaNova Systems, lifting its stake to about 9% pending regulatory approval, according to Reuters. The move follows a US$35 million investment in February that raised Intel's ownership to 8.2% from 6.8% a year earlier and formalised a strategic collaboration between the two.
Japan's Asahi Kasei has announced its official entry into the AI chip supply chain with fiberglass cloth as an insulating substrate material, targeting the current global leader Nittobo, which holds a 90% market share. Meanwhile, Nippon Electric Glass (NEG) also plans to invest in AI-specific fiberglass cloth, signaling accelerated competition among Japanese materials makers for semiconductor opportunities.
Samsung Electronics has reportedly moved into the equipment installation and testing phase at its foundry in Taylor, Texas, transitioning from construction to operational setup for 2nm production. More than 3,000 engineers from Samsung and global equipment suppliers have begun gathering at the site, according to ET News, signaling the start of large-scale ramp-up activities.
As the US-Iran conflict enters its second month, concerns are mounting over potential disruptions to global energy supplies and petrochemical feedstocks. Against this backdrop, Jeffery C.L. Pan, chairman of Taiwan's Topco Scientific, stated that the company's operations remain stable, with shipments unaffected to date and upstream cost pressures largely contained.
UK-based fund Palliser Capital announced on March 31 that it has become one of the top 25 shareholders of Ajinomoto and has requested a price increase of more than 30% for its semiconductor interlayer insulating material. This material is marketed under the name Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF).
On March 31, Nvidia announced a US$2 billion investment in Marvell and plans to further integrate its NVLink Fusion technology with Marvell's XPU services for customer use. Although Nvidia revealed partnerships with several ASIC service providers around NVLink Fusion technology earlier in 2025, this direct investment signals a closer collaboration between Nvidia and Marvell. The move raises questions about how the two companies will expand their presence in the cloud AI market and whether ASIC customers will embrace this integrated solution.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are reportedly stepping up efforts to advance hybrid bonding for next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM), as the two memory makers move to secure key packaging technologies for AI-driven demand, according to The Elec.
TSMC is winning quietly in Japan and losing loudly in Washington — and the reason may have nothing to do with chips.
As the industry enters the stocking phase ahead of new smartphone launches, mobile chip customers are undergoing an inventory adjustment period. The supply chain indicates that this demand correction has cascaded from IC design down to foundry, packaging, and testing — expected to significantly dampen order growth for Taiwanese OSAT players such as ASE, SPIL, and KYEC heading into the consumer peak season.
Samsung Electronics is accelerating the introduction of next-generation manufacturing equipment at its semiconductor facility in Austin, Texas, as part of a broad upgrade program aimed at positioning the site for long-term operations. The move is seen as a key step to reinforce the competitiveness of its existing US production lines as part of its North America semiconductor strategy.
During a lecture hosted by the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce (CNAIC), DIGITIMES Chairman Colley Hwang analyzed the East Asian industrial landscape. While headlines often focus on the chip wars between the US and China, Hwang shed light on a quieter, more structural divergence: the widening "resilience gap" between Taiwan and South Korea, as manifested through the lens of currency.
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