As artificial intelligence (AI) applications expand globally, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) is intensifying its efforts in advanced packaging and silicon photonics (SiPh) technologies. UMC co-president Jason Wang highlighted that although these segments currently generate modest revenues, a surge in project activity is anticipated to drive "significant growth" beginning in 2027, marking a strategic focus on emerging markets tied to AI and related fields.

Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly revenue and operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2025, underscoring how AI-driven demand for advanced memory has become the company's main earnings engine, even as smartphones, TVs, and home appliances faced seasonal slowdowns and margin pressure.

Following the signing of the Taiwan-US investment cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU), the next step is to finalize the agreement on reciprocal trade (ART) between the two countries. As Taiwanese supply chains pursue strategies of making collective moves in the US, some companies express willingness to follow the lead of TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker who is investing enormous sums in building wafer fabs in the US. However, upstream players admit that with high production costs in the US, investments may not be profitable unless their gross margins exceed 50%.

Chinese microcontroller (MCU) supplier AMEC has raised prices on its MCU and NOR Flash products by 15% to 50%, citing tighter chip supply and higher packaging and testing costs. The company said the adjustment is part of a broader price increase cycle across China's semiconductor sector in early 2026, which began with AI processors and memory products and has since extended to wafer fabrication, backend services, and upstream materials and components.

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) has signed a licensing agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) for high-voltage (650V) and low-voltage (80V) gallium nitride (GaN) process technologies, the company announced on January 28. This deal aims to accelerate Vanguard's development of next-generation GaN power devices for applications in data centers, automotive electronics, industrial control, and energy management.

United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) reported a moderate revenue increase in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by favorable currency exchange rates and growth in its 22/28nm semiconductor business. Consolidated revenue reached NT$61.81 billion (US$1.97 billion), up 4.5% sequentially from NT$59.13 billion and 2.4% higher year-on-year. The company's gross margin improved to 30.7% from 29.8% in the previous quarter. Net income after tax stood at NT$10.06 billion, translating to earnings per share of NT$0.81.

Tesla's latest earnings showed softer vehicle demand but improving margins, while management and analysts focused on the company's accelerating investments in custom chips, AI compute, and robotics as key to sustaining growth across its automotive, autonomy, and energy businesses.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) expand rapidly, the global semiconductor industry is redirecting investments from advanced process nodes to advanced packaging and system-level integration. This shift is driving increased demand for complex packaging technologies and semiconductor equipment, creating new growth opportunities along the supply chain.

The surge in AI demand is driving massive memory consumption, pushing the memory industry into a bullish phase. Market consensus expects tight memory supply and demand conditions to ease only by 2028. This shift is impacting industrial PC (IPC) manufacturers not just through short-term inventory fluctuations but evolving into mid- to long-term structural changes. IPC players are now comprehensively adjusting pricing mechanisms, product platforms, and procurement strategies to adapt to this new environment.

Realtek said at its January 28, 2026, earnings call that fourth-quarter 2025 revenue reached NT$26.28 billion (US$840 million), down 10.9% from the previous quarter and 0.3% from a year earlier. Gross margin declined to 48.1%, down 1.6 percentage points quarter over quarter and 0.3 percentage points year over year. Operating profit fell to NT$2.34 billion, down 25% sequentially and 18.9% annually.