Taiwanese suppliers currently control approximately 90% of the global AI server market. However, a recent survey by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs showed that the proportion of export orders produced overseas rose in August 2026, a clear reflection of Taiwanese AI server makers accelerating capacity expansion in the US and Mexico.

The AI server boom is spreading into the market for collaborative robots (cobots). The share of cobots on AI server production lines is rising as Wiwynn expands their use at its Mexico and Texas plants, while Quanta has also deployed robotic arms from Techman Robot on its server lines.

The rapid iteration of AI-capable hardware, following an industry-wide push toward integrating AI-processing capabilities into PCs, is bringing renewed attention to what AI could offer as its presence extends further into the notebook market. But beneath the expanding promise of these machines lies a less straightforward question: what is actually compelling buyers to bring them into their businesses and homes?

Japanese companies sharply reduced their footprint in China over the past two years, with the number operating there falling 22.4% from 13,034 to 10,118 as of the end of June 2026, according to a survey released by Teikoku Databank on September 28, 2026. The total was the lowest since the data series began in 2010, and 29.7% below the 2012 peak of 14,394.

Amazon is considering moving about US$8 billion worth of high-end Nvidia chips off its balance sheet through a sale-leaseback structure, according to the Financial Times and Reuters. The plan would shift thousands of Nvidia Grace Blackwell chips from data centers in Nevada and Virginia into an external special purpose vehicle, while Amazon would continue using the hardware under lease arrangements.

US federal prosecutors on October 1 arrested a 38-year-old California man accused of violating US export controls by smuggling computer servers containing US$300 million worth of Nvidia artificial intelligence chips to China.

China's AI investment is increasingly turning into server purchases and data center construction, and the wave that began with large tech companies is now spreading to mid-sized firms. South Korean media say the expanding China AI demand could open new markets for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

The race to commercialize advanced packaging is widening beyond traditional chipmakers and display panel makers. As fan-out panel-level packaging (FOPLP), through-glass via, and micro-LED optical communications move closer to mass production, semiconductor equipment, materials, and optoelectronics suppliers are all moving to capture a share of the emerging market.

SK Hynix has reiterated that no decision has been made on a potential US initial public offering (IPO) or other external financing for its Solidigm subsidiary, as the company weighs investment needs driven by growing demand for AI data center storage.

Toshiba plans to double production capacity for hard disk drives (HDDs) used in AI data centers by fiscal 2027, investing about JPY60 billion (US$379.4 million) to expand its Philippine operations, according to Nikkei Asia. The expansion will mark Toshiba's first major HDD investment in roughly five years and is intended to strengthen supplies as AI workloads drive demand for high-capacity storage.

Taiwan Cement recently authorized its Dutch subsidiary, TCC Group EMEA Holdings B.V., to acquire 100% of Ukrainian cement materials maker Ivano-Frankivskcement (IFCEM), roofing materials company Ivano-Frankivsk-Dakh, gypsum products maker KRU Gips, and dry-mix mortar company KRU Mix for a corporate value of up to EUR750 million (US$849.3 million). Taiwan Cement has moved into Ukraine to capture postwar reconstruction demand, while Taiwan Cement shareholder Chia Hsin Cement said the acquisition is likely to boost market positioning and profitability.

Samsung Electronics brought global AI experts and researchers together in Seoul on September 30 for the Samsung AI Forum 2026, exploring how agentic AI and physical AI can deliver measurable business value across enterprise workflows, device-side applications, and semiconductor design and manufacturing.

Tata Electronics, Apple's contract manufacturing partner, provided INR612.8 billion (US$6.38 billion) in corporate guarantees on behalf of its subsidiaries in fiscal 2026 as it expanded iPhone manufacturing and semiconductor projects, The Economic Times reported.

Jabil's plan for fiscal 2027 puts a price tag on its move from building servers to building the power, cooling, and networking systems around them. The company expects about US$17.5 billion of cloud and data-center infrastructure revenue, up about 52%. That business sits inside an Intelligent Infrastructure segment forecast at about US$25.6 billion, up about 43%. Management laid out the roadmap segment by segment at its fourth-quarter earnings call and ninth annual investor briefing on September 30, 2026, according to a Bloomberg transcript.

Connector maker Nextronics Engineering said its humanoid robot-related products began shipping in 2026, while North American customers are preparing for mass production and have set a 2027 production target. The company expects those programs, alongside AI-related communications, to lift revenue sharply in 2027 and further shift its business mix toward higher-growth segments.

Jabil's fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 marked the point at which AI data-center hardware became the clear center of gravity for the US contract manufacturer. Revenue for the three months ended August 31 rose 29% from a year earlier to US$10.6 billion. The GAAP operating margin widened to 5.7% from 4.1% as new capacity came online faster than planned and more hyperscale customers moved into volume production.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attended the Korea Society's annual dinner in New York on September 28 local time and received the 2026 Van Fleet Award, with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won on hand to congratulate him. The appearance underscored how Nvidia's ties with South Korea's semiconductor makers have expanded from memory supply into AI manufacturing, creating a two-way relationship in products and technology.

The Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) posted revenue of NT$1.77 trillion (approx. US$55.66 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 28.57% from the same period in 2025. Growth was mainly driven by the rapid development of the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom, coupled with Taiwan's leading role in the semiconductor industry, enabling the science park to maintain steady expansion momentum and further consolidate its position at the core of the global high-tech supply chain.

Apple's A20 Pro chip has dropped traditional package-on-package (PoP) packaging in favor of Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM), with memory and processor dies laid out side by side to potentially improve packaging yield and thermal performance, according to a teardown analysis by TechInsights. The findings come as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Apple's A20 Pro draw comparisons around 2-nanometer chip manufacturing and memory packaging.

Excellence Optoelectronics (EOI) is banking on stronger orders from its top five customers and new-car launches to drive a recovery in 2026, as the automotive optics and Mini LED module maker expands in Mexico, adds non-headlamp automotive electronics, and pushes into AI optical communications with a sample target in early 2027.

Foxconn has partnered with Chinese automotive design and engineering services provider IAT Automotive Technology to establish Beijing Futekang Intelligent Robot Technology, extending its push into embodied intelligence and robotics.

As Anthropic prepares to ask public markets to back its expansion, confidential IPO filing details seen by Reuters reveal how heavily the AI developer relies on a small group of tech giants. At the core of its business is an increasingly circular financial network in which companies like Amazon and Alphabet's Google act simultaneously as equity investors, cloud suppliers, distribution channels, and direct AI competitors.

Taiwan's Resource Circulation Administration (RECA), under the Ministry of Environment, has launched an upgraded version of its Circular Redesign Center, with Environment Minister Peng Chi-Ming outlining plans to build a more comprehensive circular economy ecosystem through a top-down approach.

Tesla disclosed on September 29 that it has arranged US$30 billion in new loans and credit facilities as it ramps up investment in AI and robotics, according to a regulatory filing. The funding comes as the company prepares for a record 2026 spending surge across AI compute infrastructure, solar cell manufacturing, and a semiconductor wafer project with SpaceX.

AT&T and Corning have agreed to a multi-year deal worth more than US$3 billion to expand US fiber networks. The agreement underscores how rising internet use, streaming, and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasing demand for higher-capacity connectivity worldwide, as operators race to build faster, more resilient infrastructure for homes and businesses.