STMicroelectronics (STMicro) held its annual Techday event in Taipei on December 12, showcasing solutions across a wide range of applications. The event focused on four main themes: smart mobility, power and energy, edge AI, and robotics. Over 30 application solutions were displayed, covering AI server power and cooling, EV technologies, MEMS and imaging, edge AI platforms, smart building and industrial control systems, secure connectivity, and high-speed wireless communication. Humanoid robots are currently a key focus area for STMicro, and the company is aiming to establish early positioning to capture future opportunities.
As global artificial intelligence (AI) computing demand surges from the megawatt (MW) to gigawatt (GW) scale, traditional data centers are facing cooling and energy challenges. This shift is driving the industry from air cooling technology to high-efficiency liquid cooling, with "waste heat" increasingly seen as a key asset for the next wave of the energy revolution.
The US government is rethinking the impact of Washington's decision to clear Nvidia's H200 exports to China after a Financial Times report suggested Beijing is prioritizing domestically developed AI chips.
Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, reported that Intel Corp. is in advanced discussions to acquire artificial intelligence chip startup SambaNova Systems Inc. for about US$1.6 billion including debt, a move that could significantly bolster Intel's AI product portfolio while reigniting scrutiny over governance and potential conflicts of interest linked to its chief executive.
Phihong Technology is accelerating its Transformation 2.0 strategy by concentrating on high-power, high-margin niche products such as AI server power supplies and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite power units. The power supply maker is currently reducing reliance on large-volume, low-margin orders like those for mobile phones to improve profitability, President Vincent Lin stated during the company's December 10, 2025 earnings call.
NetApp Taiwan general manager Peter Chu said the transition from early AI experimentation to agentic AI running mission-critical workloads is creating unprecedented demands on data complexity, scale, and security, while presenting significant opportunities for NetApp. He remains optimistic about the company's 2026 trajectory and noted that global memory shortages have not affected its operations.
Global demand for military and aerospace electronics has surged since 2024, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions, increased defense spending, and rapid progress in unmanned vehicles, battlefield sensing, and satellite communications technologies. Western markets are accelerating upgrades to cross-domain combat architectures, fueling requirements for rugged computing platforms, edge AI computers, and long-lifecycle industrial control systems.
Global growth is poised to lose momentum. IMF forecasts show global GDP easing from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.2% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026. China's growth is expected to slow from 5% to 4.8% and then to 4.2%, while India may dip from 6.6% to 6.2%. Taiwan remains an outlier, supported by strong AI and semiconductor investment and exports, with GDP projected at 7.37% in 2025. Continued strength in AI server exports could also lift its 2026 forecast of 3.54%.
Aurotek has reported a robust 50% increase in consolidated revenue for the first 11 months of 2025, fueled by sustained manufacturing globalization that is accelerating demand for automation and robotics solutions.
Intel and Tata to assemble chips locally as global firms, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Vingroup, announced fresh investments in India.
On December 12, 2025, Kenmec chairman Kevin Hsieh shared insights on the core competitiveness and market positioning of AI data center infrastructure. He also discussed how to build an irreplaceable "know-how" barrier amid global competition.
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