Taiwan inductor maker Tai-Tech has begun mass production at its Malaysia plant, targeting customers shifting supply chains away from China. The facility has secured a qualification from a US networking equipment provider, supporting new AI-related orders and expected volume growth from 2026.
As generative AI (GenAI) shifts from large-model training to large-scale inference, Japanese NAND giant Kioxia forecasts continued price increases for NAND and SSD products. Despite planned capacity expansions by various NAND manufacturers in 2027, Kioxia expects no risk of oversupply imbalance due to the rapid growth in AI demand.
China's Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) launched next-generation chip and operating system co-development alongside the debut of the Xiangshan open-source processor and Ruyi native OS at the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum.
Samsung Electronics has reportedly begun mass production of 236-layer NAND flash at its Xi'an plant in China, marking a key step in its transition to higher-layer memory as demand from artificial intelligence applications accelerates.
Toshiba, Rohm, Mitsubishi Electric, and partners begin talks on integrating Japanese power device and semiconductor businesses
The global semiconductor industry is undergoing a structural transformation. SEMI estimates that in 2025, capital expenditures (CapEx) by the four largest US cloud service providers (CSPs) will reach US$400 billion, more than twice the total semiconductor industry CapEx. When including Chinese cloud providers and sovereign AI investments, global AI infrastructure spending could surpass US$1 trillion by 2027.
Sony Group's gaming subsidiary, Sony Interactive Entertainment, announced on March 27 that it would raise the global retail price of its flagship home console, the PlayStation 5, effective April 2. In Japan, the suggested retail price of the standard model will climb to JPY97,980 (approx. US$613), a steep increase of roughly 23%. A Japan-only version, introduced in 2025 without a disc drive and limited to the Japanese language, will remain unchanged at JPY55,000.
Since Arm formally launched its Arm AGI CPU platform and upended its long-standing business model, industry observers have been eager to understand both the mechanics behind the move and its long-term implications.
The global semiconductor memory market is expected to surpass US$600 billion by 2026, as artificial intelligence accelerates a shift toward high-performance storage, according to industry executives.
Taiwan's premier Cho Jung-tai has unveiled a new list of 13 strategic industries. The lineup includes silicon photonics (SiPh), quantum technology, and unmanned vehicles. Quantum technology currently remains confined to academic and research labs, with no established industry or startups in Taiwan. Even so, the announcement signals that industrial support programs may be on the way.
Sumco has revised its semiconductor wafer supply plan to prioritize upgrading existing fabrication equipment over building new capacity, following approval from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
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