Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) signaled a focus on operational execution and supply-chain readiness during its February 3, 2026, earnings call, positioning the first half of 2026 as a foundational period for a broader artificial intelligence (AI) platform rollout. Management framed the current phase as a transition toward a more significant ramp in the second half of the year, emphasizing deployment discipline over immediate revenue acceleration.

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) held its earnings call on January 3, 2026, projecting wafer shipments to rise 1-3% quarter-over-quarter in the first quarter of 2026 as customer demand stabilizes following year-end inventory adjustments. Assuming an average exchange rate of NT$31.3 per US dollar, the company anticipates a 3-5% decline in average selling price (ASP) and gross margin between 28-30% for the quarter.

In recent weeks, rumors of a potential consolidation involving SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI have sharpened attention on what Elon Musk calls “physical AI.” What once appeared as separate ventures now looks like a single, coherent system. The goal is to push artificial intelligence out from behind screens and into the physical world.

Samsung SDI, one of South Korea’s three major battery makers, posted a steep operating loss in 2025 as the global market for electric vehicle batteries slumped. The company reported an operating loss of more than KRW1.7 trillion (US$1.17 billion) for the year. However, it is betting that a shift in strategy—anchored by local production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the United States and an expansion of its energy storage systems business—will return it to profitability in 2026.