Global chip giants converge on Taiwan for Computex

Taiwan produces the bulk of the world's astir precocious chips, including those needed for the astir almighty AI applications and research. Photo: I-Hwa Cheng / AFP
Source: AFP

Global semiconductor spot giants volition stitchery astatine Taiwan's apical tech expo this week to showcase "the adjacent frontier" for an industry dominated by artificial intelligence.

Nvidia brag Jensen Huang volition marque a keynote code connected Monday, the eve of Computex, arsenic the tech assemblage grapples with the interaction of US tariffs and disrupted proviso chains.

The four-day lawsuit volition gully machine and spot companies from astir the satellite to Taiwan, whose semiconductor manufacture is captious to the accumulation of everything from iPhones to the servers that tally ChatGPT.

Taiwan produces the bulk of the world's astir precocious chips, including those needed for the astir almighty AI applications and research.

"I person galore astonishing announcements to make," Huang told reporters successful Taipei connected Friday.

"We are astatine the bosom of the technology ecosystem and truthful determination are galore partners of ours present and we're looking guardant to announcing galore collaborations, galore caller projects, galore caller technologies and initiatives together."

Top executives from Qualcomm, MediaTek and Foxconn volition besides talk astatine Computex, wherever advances successful moving AI from information centres into laptops, robots and cars volition beryllium successful the spotlight.

"From Agentic AI driving smarter idiosyncratic devices to Physical AI reshaping autonomy, the amusement maps retired the adjacent frontier," specializer probe steadfast Counterpoint said successful a note.

Tech adept Paul Yu told AFP the manufacture was astatine a "critical juncture" for AI hardware development.

"Over the past 2 and a fractional years, important concern has driven accelerated advances successful AI technology," said Yu, of Witology Markettrend Research Institute.

"2025 to 2026 volition beryllium the important play for transitioning AI exemplary grooming into profitable applications."

'Taiwan to proceed to thrive'

There are concerns Taiwan could suffer its dominance of the spot sector. Photo: I-Hwa Cheng / AFP
Source: AFP

While US tariffs were the biggest contented facing the sector, astir companies astatine Computex "will shy distant from addressing tariffs straight arsenic the concern is excessively uncertain," said Eric Smith of specializer level TechInsights.

Last month, Washington announced a nationalist information probe into imports of semiconductor technology, which could enactment the manufacture successful the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's commercialized bazooka and inflict perchance devastating levies.

Since taking bureau successful January, Trump has threatened hefty tariffs against galore of America's biggest commercialized partners with the purpose of forcing companies to determination accumulation to US soil.

Export-dependent Taiwan has pledged to summation concern successful the United States arsenic it seeks to debar a 32 percent US tariff connected its shipments.

But determination are concerns the land could suffer its dominance of the spot assemblage -- the alleged "silicon shield" protecting it from an penetration oregon blockade by China and an inducement for the United States to support it.

TSMC, the Taiwanese declaration chipmaking giant, has unveiled plans to inject an further $100 cardinal into the United States, connected apical of the $65 cardinal already pledged.

TSMC-supplier GlobalWafers besides announced plans past week to summation its US concern by $4 cardinal arsenic the Taiwanese institution opened a wafer installation successful the US authorities Texas.

But Huang was optimistic connected Friday erstwhile asked astir the interaction of tariffs connected Taiwan, saying the land would "remain astatine the centre of the exertion ecosystem".

"There are truthful galore astute companies here, determination are truthful galore innovative and spirited companies," Huang said.

"I afloat expect Taiwan to proceed to thrive... before, after, throughout."

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Source: AFP