As various parties are brainstorming solutions to help Intel regain its former glory, the company has announced two major pieces of news: not only has it finally appointed a new CEO, but Intel's engineering manager, Pankaj Marria, also posted on LinkedIn, stating that the Intel 18A process technology at the Arizona plant is progressing smoothly, with the first batch of wafers now in production. This has helped put a temporary halt to many recent rumors.

RISC-V International made a bold statement at Embedded World 2025 with an expansive booth showcasing solutions from multiple semiconductor companies. The organization negotiated individual display stands at partner booths, signaling an aggressive campaign to gain ground in what has traditionally been Arm's domain.

India's semiconductor industry is experiencing growth with key investments, such as VCI Global's semiconductor wire plant and Jabil's second factory. However, challenges persist, such as underutilized chip design potential and limited support for startups. Strategic partnerships, like Infineon's collaboration with CDIL, aim to strengthen India's e-mobility and renewable sectors.

Texas Instruments (TI) unveiled the MSPM0C1104 at Embedded World 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany. This device is now the world's smallest microcontroller (MCU). Measuring just 1.38mm²—smaller than a black pepper flake—the new MCU is 38% more compact than the smallest existing model. This unprecedented size makes it ideal for highly space-constrained applications like medical wearables and personal electronics.

TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei announced in early March in the US that the company would increase its investment by US$100 billion, drawing significant attention and raising concerns about potential negative impacts, such as technology leakage, industrial hollowing out, and a drain on Taiwan's resources.

On March 6, 2025, China's AI scene is brimming with confidence, with some media even suggesting that domestic firms could outpace OpenAI. Newcomer Manus is being positioned as a rival to DeepSeek, but whether it has the technological depth to back up the hype remains an open question. Flashy marketing alone won't close the gap.

Samsung Electronics is considering a major overhaul of its semiconductor division as Exynos chip losses mount. Reports suggest the company may transfer its Exynos application processor (AP) division from System LSI, under the Device Solutions (DS) unit, to the Mobile eXperience (MX) division within Device eXperience (DX). This shift would follow Apple's model, giving Samsung's mobile division full control over chip development to enhance integration and performance.

MediaTek is strengthening its foothold in the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) market, showcasing its latest IoT solutions and chip ecosystem at Embedded World 2025. The company highlighted MediaTek Wi-Fi solutions, Airoha Bluetooth chips, and Richtek Power Management ICs (PMICs), underscoring its end-to-end AIoT capabilities.

As QLC NAND technology is rapidly penetrating the market, NAND controller chip vendor Phison Electronics expects UFS QLC to become the mainstream storage spec for mobile devices, with a key turning point arriving in 2025.

At Embedded World 2025, Altera made a bold case for FPGAs in AI computing, arguing they can rival ASICs in edge AI. While FPGAs are already entrenched in industrial control, they trail GPUs and ASICs in AI acceleration.

Ajai Chowdhry, chairman of EPIC Foundation & MGB, National Quantum Mission of India, believes that despite significant recent progress in India's semiconductor sector, the country continues to overlook its strongest advantage - chip design.

This year, Taiwanese chipmakers are participating extensively in Embedded World 2025. Many industry players have openly stated that in the past few years, downstream solution providers have taken center stage over semiconductor companies. In addition to established IDM giants and traditional analog IC manufacturers from Europe and the US, IC design houses and upstream IP and ASIC vendors are also showcasing their technological advancements in the AIoT field.

Intel has named Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO, following a three-month search. The market has reacted positively to this appointment, but some insiders in the semiconductor supply chain remain skeptical. They express concern that as an outsider, Tan might find it challenging to initiate change at Intel, particularly in revitalizing its foundry business, without establishing clear goals.

Intel's partnership with TSMC has strengthened since it began in 2019, with about 30% of Intel's products now outsourced. Lip-Bu Tan's appointment as CEO hints at further collaboration with TSMC. As Intel prepares for earnings calls and strategic events, the emphasis will be on future directions amidst broader geopolitical influences, including Trump's focus on US manufacturing. Tan's leadership might explore a strategic spin-off while navigating Intel's foundry challenges.

At Embedded World 2025 in Germany, Intel unveiled its Panther Lake processor, a key part of the Core Ultra 300H/U series and the first to leverage the Intel 18A process. This event marked Panther Lake's public debut, underscoring Intel's push to bring its next-generation mobile processors closer to market readiness, according to reports from XFastest and VideoCardz.

Analysts have expressed skepticism regarding the rumored joint venture bid led by TSMC to run Intel's foundry operations. Concerns primarily revolve around potential technology transfer risks, strategic misalignments, as well as its impact on the upstream supply chain.

Infineon Technologies is positioning itself at the forefront of a shift in server power architecture, driven by the rapid adoption of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) designs. As AI accelerates demand for more efficient energy management, the German chipmaker is leveraging Si, SiC, and GaN to boost power supply efficiency and density.

On March 11, Shanghai Guotou Pioneer Fund announced via its official WeChat account that its AI industry fund led a fresh investment round in Biren Technology (Biren), one of China's top GPU startups. Several leading institutional investors and industrial capital firms participated. This marks the fund's first-ever direct investment, signaling Shanghai's push toward a domestically controlled AI computing ecosystem.

Intel has appointed Lip-Bu Tan as its next CEO following his resignation from the board in 2024 due to dissatisfaction with the company's organizational structure. This decision comes as Intel undertakes significant reforms amid its critical mission to ensure US semiconductor security. Tan, who previously felt overwhelmed by the challenges of transforming Intel, is now seen as a key figure in revitalizing the company during this pivotal time.

The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has disclosed the combined output of Taiwan's three major science parks reached NT$4.76 trillion (US$144.42 billion) in 2024, setting a record high with an increase of 20.73% from 2023, driven mainly by demand for emerging technologies, such as AI, and advanced semiconductor processes.

MediaTek and TSMC have jointly demonstrated the first silicon-proven power management unit (PMU) and integrated power amplifier (iPA) on TSMC's N6RF+ process. This achievement makes it possible to integrate these two essential components into a system-on-chip (SoC) on an advanced RF process for wireless connectivity products, enabling a significantly smaller form factor while enjoying performance competitive with stand-alone modules, according to the companies.

WPG Holdings, a leading IC distributor, has seen a marked surge in demand for AI servers in the Chinese market in recent months. This upswing has invigorated procurement activities across the supply chain, delivering a tangible boost to the company's operations. Defying traditional seasonal slowdowns, the first quarter of 2025 is poised to exhibit unusual vigor, with full-year performance projected to outpace broader market growth.

IC and component distributor WPG has reported record sales for 2024, propelled by the rapid development of generative AI that fueled demand for related traditional and AI servers, power supplies, desktop PCs, notebooks, Android phones, and other electronic components.

Embedded World 2025 officially commenced this week in Nuremberg, Germany, with Sandra Rivera, CEO of FPGA company Altera, delivering the keynote address. In her presentation, Rivera discussed key developments in edge AI and highlighted the role that FPGAs can play in the rapidly evolving sector.

At Embedded World 2025, Altera CEO Sandra Rivera spoke during a keynote Q&A about the company's transition and future plans as the Intel-owned FPGA provider operates independently.