COMPUTEX 2025 opens May 20, but without a full house. Intel and AMD, two of the event's usual headliners, are noticeably scaling back their presence compared to 2024.
Yet, the timing aligns with a milestone for Intel: its 40th anniversary in Taiwan. To mark the occasion, newly appointed CEO Lip-Bu Tan is expected to attend company-hosted events, culminating in a private dinner on May 19 at Le Meridien Taipei. The guest list includes key OEMs, ODMs, and suppliers from the PC and server motherboard sectors.
Lip-Bu Tan has also scheduled individual meetings with key industry leaders and plans to visit booths at the COMPUTEX venue. Reports indicate tentative meetings with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and other major manufacturers, though media interview arrangements remain under consideration.
AI takes center stage amid global uncertainty
Building on the ongoing AI momentum, COMPUTEX 2025 will focus heavily on the latest technologies and products within the AI server supply chain. The highlight remains Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's keynote speech and exhibition tour on May 19, alongside the two-day GTC Taipei conference held at the Hanlai Hotel.
This year's COMPUTEX starts two weeks earlier than usual. In previous years, surging AI demand boosted event enthusiasm, largely driven by Jensen Huang's presence, which not only made him the star attraction but also elevated Taiwan's server supply chain as a focal point of the show.
However, since Donald Trump took office, aggressive tariff battles and AI chip restrictions have triggered global stock market crashes and economic uncertainty. Coupled with reports of potential capital expenditure cuts among global cloud service providers and cooling AI demand, Nvidia, caught amid US-China tensions, has seen its once high momentum significantly challenged.
Industry leaders adjust priorities
Following recent meetings with Trump and visits to China and Japan, Jensen Huang will deliver the first keynote at COMPUTEX on May 19 at Taipei Music Center, sharing updates on AI and accelerated computing breakthroughs. His presentation is expected to closely mirror content from March's GTC event, with many eager to see if he can replicate the AI fervor witnessed over the past two years.
It is noteworthy that in 2024, former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and AMD CEO Lisa Su both delivered keynote speeches. This time, Lisa Su has confirmed she cannot attend due to scheduling conflicts.
Intel will hold a private event celebrating its 40 years in Taiwan. Newly appointed CEO Lip-Bu Tan will host a supplier dinner on the evening of May 19 at Le Meridien Taipei and conduct separate meetings with important partners.
Tan's strategic vision for Intel
Since taking the helm, Lip-Bu Tan has aggressively restructured Intel's organizational framework. Several senior executives have departed, while Sachin Katti, head of network chips, has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer and AI division leader. Going forward, data center and AI chip divisions, along with PC chip units, will report directly to Tan, aiming to flatten the organization for improved efficiency and faster market insight.
At the recent Intel Vision 2025 conference, Tan emphasized a customer-centric approach as the cornerstone of Intel's strategy. As CEO, understanding customer needs is paramount. He highlighted adopting software-driven design methodologies to rebuild ecosystem partner trust and strengthen relationships.
Together with the Intel Foundry team, Tan is refining strategies, analyzing current conditions, and seeking growth and differentiation opportunities. The 18A process technology is progressing as planned, with initial external tape-outs nearing completion. Panther Lake processors are slated for launch in the second half of 2025, entering mass production thereafter.
Lip-Bu Tan is scheduled to deliver a keynote at the Intel Foundry Direct Connect event on April 29 in San Jose. The conference will spotlight how Intel Foundry leverages system-level foundry capabilities and diverse global manufacturing footprints to serve customers and showcase the latest technological advancements.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
