Three days at Plug and Play’s Silicon Valley May summit left me with a clear takeaway: the technology industry is undergoing a structural shift, not just another hype cycle. Here are the five trends that stood out from the conversations, keynotes, and startup pitches I observed on the ground.

Foxconn has said its quantum computing work is drawing international attention, but the main challenge remains turning research into a commercial business. The company’s quantum efforts could take about three years to reach an inflection point, with broader business potential expected around 2030, which may matter for industries and researchers worldwide.

On May 28, BYD held a major technology launch event to strengthen consumer trust in intelligent driving and accelerate adoption of its three-tier “God’s Eye” assisted-driving system — a push that comes as the world’s largest EV maker faces mounting price competition, slowing domestic demand, and declining profitability.

Compal Electronics said it was scaling up its server business and expects server revenue to reach 8-10% of total sales in 2026 as AI server rack-scale systems ramp and a new Texas plant begins operations in the second half. The company reported that server sales rose to 5% of revenue in the first quarter of 2026 from less than 1% previously, driven by a shift from printed circuit board (PCB) assembly to rack-level and full-system solutions that increase revenue per project.