The 2026 UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase recently concluded in London, where the DIGITIMES team interviewed experts from the UK's industry, academia, and research sectors about the challenges facing quantum computing's transition into real-world applications, including cybersecurity, US-China geopolitical tensions, and talent shortages.

"If you want a future, you have to build it yourself."

India's release of the EKA-1, Dhīr 2B, and Dhīr 5B foundation models highlights a public-backed effort to develop multilingual AI for domestic and international use. The models range from those with large-scale reasoning and coding capabilities to lightweight, offline-capable assistants, with implications for data sovereignty, public services, enterprise deployment, and access in low-connectivity environments.

Pegatron's third-quarter operating profit jumped 149.7% from a year earlier to NT$8.04 billion (approx. US$244 million), as stronger server and smartphone shipments lifted revenue by more than 50%, the Taiwanese contract electronics manufacturer said on November 12.

Quanta Computer posted strong revenue and earnings in the third quarter of 2026 and expects operations to continue accelerating in the fourth quarter, driven by AI servers. The company also forecasts another growth year in 2027, planning capital expenditure (capex) of NT$40 billion (US$1.21 billion) to NT$45 billion, although it says spending will begin to moderate.

Pegatron said at its November 12 earnings briefing that 2026 would mark its first year of server shipments, with the business expected to contribute about 10% of consolidated revenue and grow severalfold in 2027. Its portfolio spans Nvidia's GB series and HGX platforms, as well as custom ASIC servers, while shipments of next-generation Vera Rubin systems are expected to begin in the first half of 2027.

Several Chinese universities, including Northwestern Polytechnical University, one of China's "Seven Sons of National Defense," have successfully obtained Nvidia chips despite US export controls, according to Reuters. Procurement records show the university purchased two Nvidia H200 chips for CNY875,000 (approximately US$177,629) through a domestic supplier rather than directly from Nvidia.

Naver said on November 12 it had signed a KRW2 trillion (approx. US$1.5 billion) AI computing services contract with a US-based AI inference company, securing its first major customer for the AI Factory business it is developing with Nvidia and Brookfield.

ByteDance reportedly intends to release an AI agent similar to Meta's Muse within several weeks. The firm, whose AI assistant tool Doubao has seen wide adoption within China, seeks to catch up with leading US labs within a few years, even as its co-founder has called for reducing reliance on distillation techniques.

Synnex Technology International Corp. posted record quarterly revenue in the third quarter of 2026 and expects continued growth and new highs in 2027, driven by AI semiconductors, AI servers and infrastructure, and its China AI server business. The company is also launching fundraising plans, including a cash capital increase, CD issuance and expanded bank credit lines, to meet its funding needs.

China's AI-generated short-drama market is expanding rapidly, with surging content production and viewership making the sector an increasingly significant source of demand for AI computing resources.