Rapidus is expanding the semiconductor development and production network around its Chitose, Hokkaido foundry, adding chip analysis and advanced packaging capabilities alongside a front-end pilot line for 2nm logic chips.
Intel is considering SK Hynix as a potential partner to help operate its delayed Ohio semiconductor project, Semafor reported, after the South Korean memory maker formally denied pursuing an acquisition of the site.
Mitsubishi Electric is seeking an agreement with Toshiba and ROHM by September on combining semiconductor operations centered on power devices, as the three Japanese suppliers negotiate product scope and corporate control while seeking government support.
Samsung Electronics is preparing a die-to-wafer hybrid bonding production line with about 50 bonders at its Pyeongtaek campus for next-generation high-bandwidth memory and logic chips, according to The Elec.
Texas Instruments' second quarter of 2026 results landed Wednesday with two signals worth parsing beyond the headline numbers: an automotive demand acceleration that TI's own management didn't see coming three months ago, and the first analog price increases the company has executed in years. Together, they suggest the current upcycle is broadening in ways the supply chain has not fully absorbed.
Participation in the Global Pavilion at the upcoming SEMICON Taiwan 2026 has reached a new high, with the number of participating countries climbing to 18 and the booth count surging from 62 in 2023 to 220 in 2026, an increase of more than 250%. Both metrics set new records, reflecting that amid rising artificial intelligence (AI) investment and the regionalization of supply chains, countries are moving faster to deepen cooperation with Taiwan's semiconductor industry.
China's research and academic community appears to be drifting away from international collaboration, even as the UK, Germany, and the US have steadily expanded cross-border partnerships in recent years. The contrast has drawn fresh attention after Moonshot AI's flagship 2026 model Kimi K3 and other Chinese technology products, including Unitree Robotics's H1 robot, prompted questions over how much of China's advanced innovation is truly homegrown.
Kyushu's semiconductor production, investment and hiring have risen sharply since TSMC announced its Kumamoto expansion, but local companies have captured only a limited share of the region's growing chip-related spending.
As the global AI race intensifies, Germany's Merck is extending its reach into semiconductor materials research with an "AI for AI" strategy. Using its in-house Elvis AI platform, BaBE Bayesian optimization tool, digital twin, and enterprise knowledge platform Melinda, the company is building a closed-loop innovation model in which AI drives materials development and new materials, in turn, support next-generation AI chips.
