On October 2, Meta announced the acquisition of US-based IC design company Rivos, which develops high-performance computing chips and solutions based on the RISC-V architecture. Interestingly, at the beginning of 2025, Meta also set its sights on South Korean chip startup FuriosaAI, a company gaining attention for its unique Tensor Contraction Processor (TCP) chip architecture and dedicated to enhancing AI performance through the efficiency of TCP design.

Social media leader Meta has unveiled a new submarine cable project, Candle, set for completion in 2028. The cable will create a robust communications network linking Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, becoming the highest-capacity submarine cable in the Asia-Pacific region. Meta's other submarine cable initiatives also reserve potential extensions into Asia, with the company committing to long-term digital infrastructure investments across the continent, though specific investment amounts remain undisclosed.

IPO-bound boAt has returned to profitability in fiscal 2025, reporting a net profit of over INR600 million (US$6.76 million) compared with a net loss of INR800 million in the previous fiscal year, driven by product innovation, cost control, and strong consumer demand ahead of its planned public offering.

Since 2025, the term "vibe coding" has gained traction as a conversational AI-driven programming method, allowing developers to generate code through dialogue with large language models (LLMs). However, disparities in how professional and non-professional engineers approach vibe coding have ignited concerns, particularly following a recent "vibe coding crash incident" in Taiwan's developer community.

The integration of Micro LED into AI glasses research has entered the competitive landscape as market interest in AI glasses continues to rise. GIS, which in recent years transformed from touch panels into new businesses, is focusing its 2025 capital expenditures on emerging applications like AR/VR. It is joining forces with Micro LED start-up Porotech, combining GIS's optical engine key technologies along with Foxconn's mass production capacity to form upstream-downstream strategic integration. They have reportedly obtained cooperation in development with important US clients, and AI glasses could be released as early as the second half of 2026 to 2027.

The launch for the next-generation optical communication infrastructure, IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network), led by Japanese telecom group NTT, is scheduled for 2026. The production system for core equipment will involve US semiconductor company Broadcom, Japanese IC substrate manufacturer Shinko Electric Industries, and Taiwan-based Accton.

US-based startup Moonlake AI has secured US$28 million in a seed funding round led by Nvidia's NVentures, with participation from angel investors including YouTube co-founder Steve Chen. The startup was co-founded by Fan-Yun Sun, a National Taiwan University and Stanford University graduate, and Sharon Lee.

The sovereign wealth funds of Abu Dhabi, Norway, and Singapore, along with global money managers including BlackRock Inc. and Fidelity International Ltd., have reportedly joined the anchor share sale of LG Electronics Inc.'s Indian unit ahead of the start of bidding for its initial public offering (IPO).

Japan will expand export controls to cover general-purpose machine tools, integrated circuits, drones, radar, navigation, and testing equipment, requiring companies to verify potential military use. The new rules, effective October 9, 2025, broaden oversight beyond UN arms embargo countries to most global destinations, including China and Southeast Asia.