Commentary: Governor Hobbs’ visit to Avnet APAC spotlights evolving semiconductor supply chains

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs recently led a delegation to Taiwan, focusing on the enhancement of the semiconductor supply chain. The session included discussions with key officials from TSMC and highlighted dialogues with IC distributor Avnet Asia Pacific. This underscores the vital function of IC distributors within the Asian semiconductor supply chain and signifies the US’s aim to bolster supply chain resilience.

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Huawei’s HarmonyOS PCs set to launch in 2025, rumors of Windows exit intensify

Industry insiders suggest that since Huawei was placed on the US Entity List in 2019, the company has faced continuous challenges in obtaining related technologies. The license for Windows operating systems for personal computers (PCs) is set to expire in March, raising concerns that ongoing pressure from the US may hinder Huawei’s ability to secure a renewal agreement with Microsoft.

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Taiwan launches ‘eastward expansion’ strategy, boosting US investment and tech ties

Following TSMC’s announcement of an additional US$100 billion investment in the US, President Lai Ching-te has unveiled Taiwan’s new “eastward expansion” strategy, extending beyond past regional policies to strengthen ties with the Americas and global markets, with a focus on building resilient, non-red supply chains and fostering digital alliances with democratic partners.

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SEMI Country excerpt 1: Rediscovering Taiwan’s position in the AI era

Former Premier of Taiwan Chuan Lin (2016-2017) once asked me, “Will the AI wave become a bubble?” I do not see any signs of a bubble. Perhaps you are thinking of the dot-com bubble, but did the internet bubble really burst? In the spring of 2000, internet stocks plummeted, and many startups closed down. However, the internet wave did not vanish; it even found greater opportunities after the launch of the iPhone in 2007. Today’s AI wave is merely a new opportunity arising from the diverse connections of big data, cloud services, and more.

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GTC 2025: Nvidia debuts DGX Spark, DGX Station, bringing AI supercomputing to the masses

Nvidia has introduced its latest AI personal supercomputers powered by the Grace Blackwell platform. The DGX Spark, formerly Project DIGITS, and the DGX Station, built on Blackwell Ultra, allow AI developers, researchers, and data scientists to prototype, fine-tune, and run large-scale models directly on a desktop. These models can be processed locally or deployed to DGX Cloud and other accelerated cloud or data center platforms.

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Unitech sees steady AI PC demand, shifts focus to HDI and satellite supply chains

Unitech, a Taiwanese PCB manufacturer, remains upbeat on sustained demand for high-end AI PCs but sees lingering weakness in consumer electronics and a sluggish recovery in the automotive sector. The company is ramping up production of HDI and hybrid boards while deepening ties with AI server and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite supply chains. Revenue and gross margins are expected to remain stable through 2025.

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