AI chip demand is tightening high-end testing interface capacity, and supply-chain sources say Nvidia has raised prices to secure most of the probe card and test socket output from major testing interface vendors. The squeeze is also pushing Taiwan foundry leader TSMC and related IC design customers to assess diversified supply channels for early-stage R&D validation.
Qualcomm this week announced a multi-generation collaboration with Amazon to develop custom silicon for AI inference and high-performance optical connectivity for Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography race is splitting into two tracks. Intel has moved High-NA EUV into production, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are targeting DRAM production in 2028, and TSMC plans to introduce the technology into advanced-node high-volume manufacturing in 2030.
Data-center power systems are entering a new phase as operators move toward 800V HVDC and denser DC-DC architectures, raising demand for high-voltage, low-loss, and high-frequency power devices. The shift is pushing suppliers toward integrated control, protection, and module solutions, while Taiwan manufacturers weigh how quickly they can adapt.
STMicroelectronics expects rapidly expanding AI infrastructure sales and stronger automotive demand to support growth into 2027, but its largest gross-margin gains will depend on customer approvals allowing older factories to close, CFO Lorenzo Grandi said at Citi's Global TMT Conference on September 9.
Analog Devices has agreed to acquire Alif Semiconductor in a US$1.35 billion all-cash deal, a move that could broaden access to faster, more energy-efficient edge AI systems for industrial, defense, health, and consumer applications worldwide. The deal underscores a shift toward local, real-time computing beyond data centers.
Yageo posted year-over-year and month-over-month revenue growth in August, extending its streak of record monthly highs to a sixth straight month. The passive components maker said strong AI-related demand and resilient demand in Asia helped offset holiday effects in Europe and the US.
Driven by sustained artificial intelligence (AI) demand, global semiconductor capacity expansion is accelerating. According to the 2026 Semiconductor Industry Talent Report released by 104 Job Bank, monthly job openings in Taiwan's semiconductor sector reached 47,000 in 2026, a year-over-year surge exceeding 20%.
Arm unveiled its second-generation mobile Compute Subsystem (CSS), Arm CSS for Mobile 2, at its annual Arm Everywhere China event in Shanghai on September 8, further integrating AI computing capabilities across the CPU, GPU, and system interconnect while strengthening its presence in the Chinese market.
Nvidia's Vera Rubin platform is entering its production ramp, and although server ODM shipments are still expected to ramp further, server ODMs delivered strong operating results in August. Industry sources said demand remains robust for both the H-series and GB-series products.
As AI drives the transition toward high-speed transmission technologies such as 800G and 1.6T, silicon photonics has become increasingly mainstream in high-speed optical communications, attracting investment from major industry players.
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