11
May
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is seeking to raise as much as CNY50 billion (US$7.35 billion) in its first external funding round. The deal could value the company at more than CNY350 billion (US$51.5 billion), potentially the largest funding round in Chinese AI history.
11
May
Analysis: Intel’s Apple deal boosts CEO Tan’s turnaround, but hard part still lies ahead
Intel’s reported preliminary agreement to manufacture some chips for Apple devices would mark a major validation point for CEO Lip-Bu Tan’s effort to rebuild the US chipmaker’s foundry business. It would not, however, resolve the deeper manufacturing, cost, and organizational challenges still standing between Intel and a full-scale comeback.
11
May
Taiwan backs military-civilian cyber tech to counter AI attacks
AI smartphones from Chinese brands are widely available in Taiwan, yet AI text summarization involving audio content deemed politically sensitive is often interrupted, as such services rely on data transfers to servers in China. Although hostilities between Taiwan and China have not escalated, cybersecurity awareness has increased in both the military and civilian sectors, especially as Taiwan looks for ways to counter AI-enabled attacks from China.
11
May
Memory bottlenecks threaten data-center GPU efficiency as AI inference scales, says Micron SVP
Micron’s senior vice president, Jeremy Werner, told The Circuit Podcast that memory has become a strategic bottleneck for data-center inference, warning that insufficient memory can sharply cut GPU utilization while faster, larger memory can theoretically multiply the compute extracted from GPUs. The remarks underscore how storage and memory design could limit AI deployment.
11
May
Nan Pao targets semiconductor specialty materials as revenue hits record for April
Nan Pao Resins Chemical Group said April revenue rose 15.0% year on year to NT$2.285 billion (US$72.77 million), a record for the month, while cumulative revenue for January to April 2026 reached NT$8.122 billion, up 7.7% from the same period in 2025. The company attributed the monthly gain to raw material price swings and customer expectations of price increases, which prompted earlier order placements and stockpiling. A spokesperson added that Nan Pao accelerated new product development and won new customers during the period.
11
May
Samsung strike talks resumed with US$29 billion on the line
Samsung Electronics’ labor and management have returned to the negotiating table under South Korean government mediation, as the company faces a planned general strike and a widening dispute over how profits from its semiconductor rebound should be shared.
11
May
Qisda sees recovery driven by AI and semiconductors, expects profit rebound through 2026
Qisda said its operations began to recover in the first quarter of 2026 after profits bottomed out in 2025, with chairman Peter Chen saying visibility for the second and third quarters is now better than in the first quarter. Chen expects revenue and earnings to return to normal in 2026 as AI and semiconductors continue to reshape the group’s direction.
11
May
Ennostar sees 2Q26 rebound on stronger component demand
Ennostar said its core losses narrowed significantly in the first quarter of 2026 from the previous quarter, despite the seasonally weak period for the industry, and expects a marked recovery in both revenue and shipments starting in the second quarter of 2026, driven by stronger demand for components and emerging growth in Micro LED technology.
11
May
AMD’s 2nm defection to Samsung dents TSMC’s AI grip
The AI semiconductor supply chain is showing unexpected signs of a shift, with TSMC’s long-held dominance in the foundry market beginning to loosen. US chipmakers are increasingly engaging with Samsung Electronics and Intel as alternative suppliers, and AMD has already handed its 2nm order to Samsung.
11
May
DIGITIMES Insight: MediaTek denies Intel link as TSMC’s packaging lead faces new test
DIGITIMES senior analyst Luke Lin said Warren Buffett’s investment in Apple should be viewed not simply as a stock trade, but as a bet on the company and its leadership under CEO Tim Cook.