11
May
Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute released a global update showing rapid growth in generative AI use since mid-2025 and identifying Asia as the primary engine of recent AI diffusion. The report said Taiwan ranked No. 20 globally in local AI adoption in the first quarter of 2026, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, and Norway led global diffusion rates during the same period.
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
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
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
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
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
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
Dayuan 1Q26 rebounds on North America broadband and defense orders
Dayuan Optoelectronics’ consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2026 reached NT$443 million (US$14.11 million), a 42.7% increase year on year, driven by North American broadband infrastructure demand and defense project deliveries. The company said this momentum is expected to strengthen from the third quarter of 2026 as BEAD-funded broadband spending accelerates and additional defense contracts move into execution.
11
May
Trans-Sun Materials rides AI server wave with profit surge
Trans-Sun Materials Technology posted broad-based gains in the first quarter of 2026, with consolidated revenue rising 28.66% year on year to NT$379 million (US$12.07 million) and net profit attributable to the parent surging 66.34% to NT$26 million, yielding earnings per share of NT$1.07. The maker of electronic functional materials credited the performance to accelerating demand for high-performance computing infrastructure tied to the expansion of AI workloads.
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.