The global tech landscape is currently dominated by two massive tides: the race for semiconductor supremacy and the long-promised dawn of the quantum era. While quantum technology is often associated with the distant goal of large-scale computing, a German startup is proving that quantum's most immediate impact may actually be in saving inspection time for the global semiconductor industry that powers the modern world.
Power semiconductor makers say prices are still being adjusted as upstream raw material costs rise and AI-driven high-margin products crowd out capacity. With supply tight across the chain, customers are now focusing on securing shipments first, even as new price-hike notices arrive in the third quarter of 2026.
TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei said on July 16 that if more competitors can offer advanced packaging solutions that meet customer needs, the company welcomes the added supply-chain flexibility. His comments, made at TSMC's earnings call, suggested that customer growth has already been somewhat constrained by tight back-end packaging capacity.
TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei formally announced on July 16 that the company will invest an additional US$100 billion in the US, funding several 2nm and more advanced logic wafer fabs as well as advanced packaging plants to support continued strong demand from major US customers.
A South Korean lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow a second-tier subsidiary of a general holding company to retain a stake of at least 50% in a jointly funded semiconductor venture, rather than the 100% currently required under the country's holding-company rules.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) held its second-quarter 2026 earnings conference on July 16, where chairman and CEO C.C. Wei discussed the latest developments in AI demand, saying the market continues to evolve at a rapid pace.
To address structural long-term growth in semiconductor demand, TSMC chairman C.C. Wei said the company works closely with customers — and its customers' customers — to jointly plan future capacity.
TSMC is projecting its strongest quarter ever, guiding third-quarter 2026 revenue to between US$44.6 billion and US$45.8 billion on the back of accelerating demand for leading-edge chips and the steep ramp-up of its 2-nanometer process technology.
TSMC expressed strong confidence during its July 16 earnings conference that demand for its advanced process technologies remains robust, with chairman C.C. Wei saying the company's 2nm process has entered volume production and is progressing smoothly through its production ramp.
TSMC reported record second-quarter 2026 results on July 16, with revenue, profit, and earnings per share all surpassing market expectations, underscoring sustained demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) chips.
