Intel and Nvidia have struck a landmark deal, with Nvidia investing US$5 billion for about 4% of Intel. The two will co-develop SoCs integrating Intel's x86 CPUs and Nvidia's RTX GPUs, linked through NVLink. Analysts see the move as a pivotal boost for Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan's turnaround plan and a possible reshaping of the global semiconductor landscape.

Nvidia has launched its latest Rubin CPX GPU aimed at applications in the era of large-scale inference for AI. According to research firm SemiAnalysis, the launch represents a new direction in GPU development, leveraging decoupling and collaborative division of labor to meet AI inference demands. In addition to demonstrating design flexibility and foresight, the Rubin CPX GPU could also signal a fundamental transformation in the inference domain and the industry roadmap as a whole.

Chun-Hsien Yeh, the new minister of Taiwan's National Development Council (NDC), pointed out on September 17 that with strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI), TSMC will be running at full capacity through 2026. He believes that TSMC can maintain its technological lead for at least another 5 to 10 years. Taiwan's policies, work culture, talent education, and ecosystem are all key drivers behind TSMC's success.

After months of back-and-forth in the takeover battle for Japanese negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor manufacturer Shibaura Electronics, Taiwanese passive component giant Yageo has emerged on top. Yageo has secured Shibaura Electronics' full support for the acquisition by offering a higher bid than competitor MinebeaMitsumi.

Samsung Electronics is accelerating its research into silicon carbide (SiC), a next-generation power semiconductor material, as competition heats up across the industry.

The Yongin Semiconductor Cluster in South Korea, which is anchored by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, is currently under development. However, experts caution that there are unresolved power grid issues, mainly due to the massive energy demands of the cluster. Additionally, the current energy supply plan may conflict with the national goals for carbon neutrality.

As SK Hynix kicks off its second-half 2025 recruitment drive with a generous bonus package, the move has generated significant buzz among Samsung Electronics employees, especially those with shorter tenures. Some are now openly weighing the prospect of jumping ship.

MEMS design company SiTime Corporation has introduced its new timing chip, Titan, aimed at the growing wearable device market. The new chip measures just 0.46mm by 0.46mm, significantly smaller than traditional quartz oscillators, and offers two flexible integration options.

STMicroelectronics (STM) has announced a US$60 million investment to establish a panel-level packaging (PLP) technology pilot production line at its Tours facility in France, with plans to commence operations in the third quarter of 2026.

US export controls have capped the performance of Nvidia's "China-only" GPUs, opening the door for domestic chipmakers to compete. Huawei's Ascend roadmap, announced at its 2025 Connect Summit, is widely seen as a direct challenge to Nvidia's restricted offerings in China.