Generative AI is concentrating control of computing power within a narrow set of architectures and ecosystems. Wei Shaojun, chairman of the IC design branch of the China Semiconductor Industry Association and a professor at Tsinghua University, said AI competition now extends beyond hardware to control of rules and ecosystems, warning that continued reliance on existing systems could lock China into long-term dependence on critical technologies.

Samsung and SK Hynix delivered record performance in 2025, driven by strong investment in AI infrastructure. Yet the gains have not flowed upstream. Materials and component suppliers are facing a second consecutive year of price cuts, with contract terms for 2026 again revised lower.

China’s push for a self-sufficient AI stack is no longer theoretical — it is entering deployment. DeepSeek’s upcoming V4 model, expected within weeks, signals a shift from experimentation to execution, linking software, chips, and policy into a single system.

Amid soaring memory prices, manufacturers have repeatedly lowered 2026 shipment targets for smartphones, PCs, and other consumer electronics, triggering a ripple effect across the supply chain. Recently, reports emerged that major Chinese smartphone brands are scaling back purchases of processors, forcing MediaTek and Qualcomm to reduce their subsequent orders with TSMC, with estimated cuts of 10-15% in wafer starts on 4/3nm processes.