During an in-depth reporting trip to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), DIGITIMES explored the evolving AI landscape through exclusive interviews with Microsoft executives from Singapore and Malaysia. As Nvidia and AI supply chain players increasingly highlight “AI implementation” applications, we sought to understand how cloud giants perceive this trend, what enables or hinders progress, and the appropriate role for governments.

Taipei-headquartered networking equipment manufacturer Planet Technology is experiencing financial challenges due to recent fluctuations in the New Taiwan Dollar (US Dollar equivalent missing). The company reported that significant changes in the exchange rate against the US dollar have adversely affected its cost structure and profitability. With most of its global transactions settled in US dollars, the currency turbulence has added an extra layer of uncertainty to Planet’s financial outlook.

China’s trade-in stimulus, bolstering the tech supply chain from late 2024 to early 2025, has waned by the second quarter of 2025. Despite ongoing provincial subsidies aimed at boosting consumer spending, buyers usually only invest in new electronics during upgrade waves, opting to wait for the next cycle once a wave concludes.