As robots and autonomous systems move from factory floors into hospitals, warehouses, and public spaces, NXP Semiconductors CEO Rafael Sotomayor used his Computex 2026 keynote to argue that the defining challenge of physical AI is not raw intelligence, but the ability to act in milliseconds without waiting for instructions from the cloud.

At the opening day of Computex 2026, Lite-On Technology hosted an AI industry summit under the theme "Powering the AI-driven Future," where DIGITIMES chairman Colley Hwang moderated a cross-industry panel with Nvidia, Infineon Technologies, and Gigabyte subsidiary Giga Computing at the exhibition venue.

Rising global geopolitical risk and tightening supply in some markets have pushed London Metal Exchange (LME) aluminum prices higher in volatile trading, adding cost pressures to industries across electronics components, semiconductor equipment, automobiles, and energy infrastructure.

Unimicron Technology has completed a full board re-election, with newly appointed chairman SC Chien formally taking charge as the IC substrate supplier prepares for a new phase of PCB demand driven by AI.

PCB manufacturer Zhen Ding announced it had joined Nvidia's MGX ecosystem to support the deployment of the chipmaker's third-generation MGX modular architecture, which uses a PCB-based design to enable fully modular, cable-free compute node trays and NVLink switch trays. The vendor said this collaboration was disclosed at Nvidia's AI Factory MGX ecosystem ceremony on May 29 in Taipei's Nangang Exhibition Center and positions Zhen Ding to supply ultra-high-layer-count, high-speed printed circuit boards for next-generation accelerated computing infrastructure.

Taiwan's printed circuit board (PCB) makers are expected to see domestic and overseas output rise 15.1% year-over-year to NT$1.05 trillion (approx. US$33.5 billion) in 2026, according to the Taiwan Printed Circuit Board Association (TPCA), as AI demand and advanced packaging continue to drive double-digit growth. But the sector is also confronting rising risks that could affect costs, supply chains, and expansion plans.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Taiwan-based Actron Technology expects stronger growth in its automotive semiconductor business as demand for its high-efficiency diode products has exceeded expectations amid tightening global emissions standards and resilient hybrid vehicle demand.

Flexium Interconnect held its 2026 annual shareholders meeting on May 28 and outlined a strategic shift toward technology upgrades, higher-value products and improved operational efficiency as the company pursues a transformation expected to accelerate in the second half of 2026. Executives said global macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties persist, but management forecast that initiatives begun this year will start to deliver results later in the year.

AuthenX is preparing to showcase a detachable 2D fiber-array unit at COMPUTEX 2026, as the Taiwanese optical-communications company seeks to address packaging and alignment challenges in co-packaged optics.

Niching Industrial Corp. said on May 28 that it will acquire an 82% stake in Ming Chun Yuan Precision Technology for NT$508 million, with the transaction expected to close on July 1 after the required legal procedures are completed.

WinWay Technologies, a major test interface provider, followed ASE Holdings in holding a groundbreaking ceremony for its new plant at the Renwu Industrial Park in southern Taiwan. The company plans to invest NT$3.5 billion (US$111.1 million) in the facility construction.

Facing memory shortages and Sharp's plan to shut down its Guishan K2 plant by the end of 2026, GIS chairman Hsien-Ying Chou said the company faces greater operational challenges in the second half of 2026. However, its transformation strategy is accelerating. Among its new businesses, optical waveguide products used in AI glasses and other applications began small-volume shipments in the first quarter of 2026, while its optical communications business is targeting advanced optical source packaging and testing services. Both new application areas are expected to gradually ramp up in 2027, creating new growth momentum for revenue and gross margins.

Nan Ya Plastics announced at its May 29 shareholders meeting that it would pivot into three new business areas — medical materials, semiconductor materials, and comprehensive power solutions — as part of a broader transformation planned for 2026 and 2027. Chairman Chia-Chau Wu said the move aims to raise the share of electronic materials in group revenue from just over 50% today to about 60% by 2026, driven by demand from AI infrastructure and high-performance computing.

The global AI boom is pushing supply-chain pressure beyond memory chips and CPUs into optical communications, creating shortages across a less visible but increasingly critical layer of data-center infrastructure.

Innolux plans to accelerate its transformation in 2026, with chairman and CEO Jim Hung pointing to three priorities: advanced semiconductor packaging, smart cockpits, and higher-margin panel applications.

Foxconn chairman Young Liu said the company is preparing to break ground on its advanced packaging plant in France while continuing to explore sovereign-AI opportunities in Africa, as the electronics manufacturer looks beyond AI servers for its next phase of growth.

Unimicron said it will push advanced substrate and AI system-board upgrades in 2026 to capture accelerating demand for AI-related ASICs and switches, aiming for record revenue that would exceed its 2022 peak. The IC substrate and printed circuit board maker announced the strategy at its annual shareholders' meeting at the end of May, citing a shift in demand away from GPUs and CPUs toward ASICs, switches, and high-performance computing applications.

AI demand for high-performance chips is driving up orders for semiconductor silicon capacitors, or Si-Caps, with Samsung Electro-Mechanics and several Taiwanese memory makers emerging as key names to watch. Supply-chain sources say the shift could reshape who captures future demand for advanced packaging.

Copper clad laminate (CCL) maker Iteq held its 2026 annual general meeting on Thursday, with Chairman Dennis Chen saying that the continued deepening of generative AI applications, faster cloud computing and data center expansion, and steady growth in demand from new energy-related industries are boosting demand for high-end electronic materials and high-frequency, high-speed printed circuit board (PCB) markets.