Ability Opto-Electronics Technology, an optics maker, said on June 29 that its V-groove and mechanical transfer (MT) products for co-packaged optics (CPO) are likely to become its second-largest product line after notebook camera modules, as the company pushes to expand into new growth drivers. Chairman Weiya Gao said the expected 10% to 20% cut in 2026 shipments by notebook brands would have a relatively limited impact, since the company mainly supplies high-end business notebook cameras.
Nvidia does not make robots, but it is becoming a key force behind embodied intelligence companies. At Automate 2026, North America's largest industrial automation show, on June 22, Deepu Talla, vice president of Nvidia's robotics business, said on stage that the company hired 18,600 man-years of engineers to bring the safety architecture of autonomous driving to robots.
China's Unitree Robotics has slashed its humanoid robot prices sharply, in stark contrast to the industrial robot market, where prices have remained stable, and orders have continued climbing to record highs. The divergence has intensified debate over whether AI robots will first break through via humanoid or non-humanoid models.
Demand for high-end fiberglass cloth is surging on the AI boom, and orders from copper-clad laminate (CCL) customers are leaving the world's two largest suppliers, Nittobo and Taiwan Glass, short of capacity. In particular, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and low Dk2 products remain the tightest, with supply-demand gaps now expected to last through 2027.
AI-driven memory price spikes are presenting a challenge for Samsung's smartphone business, with rising component prices eroding the affordability of its budget phones. At the same time, Samsung is seeking to use its new AI features to encourage new device purchases as memory prices dampen smartphone sales globally.
Taiwan's investment office, InvesTaiwan, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, has approved expanded Taiwan investment plans from four companies, led by MSScorps, which will invest NT$1.5 billion (US$47.4 million) and is filing for the third time. The company plans to add production lines and adopt AI technology at its Hsinchu, Tai Yuen Hi-Tech Industrial Park, and Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) facilities.
Taiwan-based Tongtai Machine & Tool is accelerating its transformation toward high-value manufacturing, leveraging growing opportunities in AI servers, semiconductors and aerospace. At its annual general meeting on June 17, shareholders approved all proposals and elected a new board that includes several aerospace industry veterans, underscoring the company's commitment to expanding into advanced manufacturing sectors despite a challenging operating environment.
