GITEX Asia 2026 wrapped up in Singapore with a clear shift in industry priorities, as artificial intelligence (AI) spending moves from infrastructure buildout toward monetization, with inference and edge deployment emerging as the next battleground.
As AI agents grow capable of independently operating computers, drafting documents, and managing schedules, the relationship between humans and machines is undergoing a fundamental shift. A recent viral phenomenon involving so-called "lobster" agents (OpenClaw) has underscored a new question in the market: traditional PCs and smartphones may no longer be the ideal platforms for AI.
China's outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) sector is accelerating capacity expansion and technology upgrades, with leading players ramping investment to capture rising demand from AI, high-performance computing (HPC), and automotive electronics.
Samsung Electronics is beginning to see early signs of stabilization in its Visual Display (VD) and Digital Appliances (DA) divisions, after a period of underperformance. Market estimates suggest the two units have narrowed their losses, with some businesses potentially returning to profitability, helping lift overall results. Yet surging logistics costs and intensifying price competition from Chinese rivals continue to weigh on margins.
