Hiwin Technologies reported stronger-than-expected order momentum, driven largely by demand for semiconductor equipment, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, automation, robotics, and broader industrial projects. March orders exceeded those in January and February, marking an unusually robust off-season and pointing to a gradual recovery in industrial demand.

AI adoption in Asia-Pacific workplaces is rapidly increasing, yet most small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) remain stuck in an "AI scramble" phase — pushing employees' weekly manual administrative workload up by as much as 56%. The trend could complicate global supply chains and customer service expectations if execution gaps persist.

Greta Wen, CEO of the Artificial Intelligence Foundation (AIF), warned at DIGITIMES' AI EXPO that Taiwan faces an oversupply of AI computing power but a critical shortage of AI talent — a disparity with global implications as companies struggle to find personnel capable of aligning AI technologies with business needs and delivering results effectively.

Chief Telecom announced on March 24 that its board of directors has approved an investment exceeding NT$3 billion (US$93.5 million) to build a fourth AI data center in the Central Taiwan Science Park. The move is a response to the global surge in demand for AI computing power and proxy services, with the aim of capturing growth opportunities in AI computing, applications, and proxy services across central and southern Taiwan.

MediaTek highlighted at AI EXPO Taiwan 2026 how language-specific challenges complicate the deployment of AI globally, as Taiwanese tonal variety, mixed writing systems, and local usage patterns can lead to misinterpretations and safety risks, underscoring the need for tailored models and localized safeguards to maintain accuracy and trust in international AI applications.

MicroIP unveiled automotive AI advances at AI EXPO Taiwan 2026, signaling wider availability of driver monitoring and electronic rearview mirror solutions for global fleets and aftermarket suppliers. The move suggests increased commercialisation of previously guarded vehicle technologies with implications for safety, supply chains, and market expansion in Asia and beyond.

Industry leaders hail 2026 as the inaugural year for sovereign AI. On March 23, software firm TPIsoftware held a signing ceremony to launch the AISO sovereign AI industry alliance, announcing collaboration with Phison Electronics. The alliance brings together 12 prominent domestic software and hardware partners, including Gogolook, Kdan, TNP, Tatung System Technologies, Altos Computing, Thinktron, Fuco & Ryzo, Acer Synergy Tech, ECS, and Fongkong, alongside guidance from Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to initiate strategic cooperation.

South Korea will keep electricity rates unchanged for the second quarter of 2026 amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which are pushing global energy prices higher, a decision intended to stabilize household costs in the short term. The move, however, exposes mounting contradictions between the country's electricity pricing mechanism and broader energy policy objectives.

SLB and Nvidia expanded a technology collaboration to design and deploy modular AI infrastructure and domain-specific models for the energy industry, promising faster deployment, lower costs, and scalable AI tools that could accelerate decision-making across global energy operations, affecting production efficiency, emissions management, and the pace of digital transformation worldwide.

US President Donald Trump has appointed an initial group of technology and business leaders to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), a body tasked with advising the White House on science, technology, and innovation policy, according to statements from the White House and multiple media reports.

Arm has officially unveiled its first fully self-designed physical chip, the Arm AGI CPU, targeting data center mass production. The announcement came at the Arm Everywhere conference in San Francisco, sending shockwaves through an already fiercely competitive AI chip market.