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Wednesday 14 May 2025
China's AI reckoning: Once-hyped unicorns face cash crunch collapse
The global boom in generative AI, fueled by OpenAI, triggered a surge of investment into Chinese AI startups. But OpenAI's recent decision to abandon its for-profit status—announced by CEO Sam Altman—highlights the growing difficulty of monetizing AI innovation. Meanwhile, China's so-called "AI Four Darlings," CloudWalk Technology, SenseTime Group, Megvii Technology, and Yitu Technology, are battling mounting losses and operational setbacks, with growing pressure to overhaul their business strategies
Tuesday 13 May 2025
Interview: highly complementary AI ecosystems in Singapore and Malaysia—analyzing Microsoft's ASEAN strategy
The world is in the midst of an AI revolution, with data center supply chains becoming central to the electronics industry. As software and hardware converge, the focus on "sovereign AI" has heightened attention on cloud service providers' strategic moves
Tuesday 13 May 2025
China drone industry thrives in global markets despite sanctions
Trade sanctions and tech blockades have become the preferred weapons of influence in the ongoing geopolitical tug-of-war between the United States and China. Yet for all the volleying, victories have been uneven—and in some cases, surprising
Tuesday 13 May 2025
Thaw or theater? US-China tariff pause masks deeper strategic fault lines
Against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical strain and unresolved trade friction, the US and China have concluded a new round of high-level negotiations, releasing a joint statement to adjust and suspend recently imposed tariffs. Though narrow in scope, the deal signals a partial de-escalation and offers markets overdue relief after months of volatility since April 2025
Tuesday 13 May 2025
Tariff truce or tactical pause? Tech supply chains remain on edge as markets rally on US-China deal
Following a high-level meeting in Geneva, the US and China abruptly announced a 90-day pause in their ongoing tariff war. Under the deal, both countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs to 10% for 90 days. However, US tariffs on Chinese fentanyl-related goods remain, and Trump-era levies still keep China's overall tariff burden near 30%—a truce in form, not in substance
Monday 12 May 2025
Exclusive: AI implementation challenges reshape government roles in ecosystem success
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
Monday 12 May 2025
Apple weighs AI search alternatives to Google—decoding the strategic message
Apple executives have stated they are evaluating adding AI-powered search to their Safari browser, a move that caused Alphabet, Google's parent company, to see its stock price plunge. In response, Google issued a public statement stressing that search traffic from Apple devices continues to grow
Monday 12 May 2025
Foxconn wins Mitsubishi greenlight, enters critical inflection point in its EV strategy
On May 6, Mitsubishi Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with Foxconn's EV arm, Foxtron Vehicle Technologies, to jointly explore EV development, design, and manufacturing. The deal signals a major milestone for Foxconn's carmaking ambitions and a telling concession by Mitsubishi as it seeks to stay competitive in the breakneck global EV race
Monday 12 May 2025
Malaysia eyes climb up the tech ladder as Southeast Asia's semiconductor veteran
Malaysia boasts resilient economic and industrial fundamentals, underpinned by reliable infrastructure, natural resource availability, and an established manufacturing base. In the Southeast Asian semiconductor landscape, it ranks just behind Singapore, home to cutting-edge wafer fabs, but leads the region in large-scale assembly, testing, and packaging operations
Monday 12 May 2025
Cheap cars, costly decisions: Taiwan struggles with price of trade access
In Taiwan, car prices have long been a hot topic among consumers. With recent debates surrounding whether or not to lower import tariffs, the pricing gap between domestic and imported vehicles has once again taken center stage
Friday 9 May 2025
Is the NT dollar surge the new Plaza Accord moment?
After surging to a multi-decade high last week, the New Taiwan dollar (NT$) has reversed course, weakening 0.45% on May 6 to close at NT$30.28 against the US dollar. The currency's volatility is unsettling Taiwan's export-oriented industries, which had already been grappling with the implications of a stronger NT dollar on margins and competitiveness. The erratic moves have sparked uneasy comparisons to the 1985 Plaza Accord—raising the question: could Taiwan be headed toward its own version of that historic realignment
Wednesday 7 May 2025
Why Apple’s road to ‘Made in India’ is longer than it looks
Despite surpassing analysts' forecasts for both revenue and profit in its fiscal second quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook expressed caution about the months ahead, citing growing uncertainty from US-China trade tensions and tariff risks. In response, Apple is accelerating efforts to diversify its manufacturing base, working closely with partners like Foxconn to shift more production to India and Vietnam
Wednesday 7 May 2025
MicroLED's Bright Future: PlayNitride CEO on geopolitical challenges, AI glasses surge, and SiPh opportunities
Micro LED technology is gaining momentum as the next big leap in display innovation. Driven by the global AI surge, China's intensifying "hundred-glasses war" in smart eyewear has pushed micro-displays into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Micro LED is emerging as a potential game-changer in silicon photonics, offering high-speed optical communication capabilities. Long-anticipated uses in large-format TVs and automotive displays are finally moving toward mass production, signaling a broad and accelerating wave of commercialization across multiple industries
Tuesday 6 May 2025
Mining influence: Taiwan's critical moves in the global rare earth chess game
As the Ukraine-Russo war reaches a stalemate in peace talks, the United States is actively promoting agreements on rare earth elements (REEs) with Ukraine. This move underscores the critical importance of these elements in global geopolitics and technological competition. This article analyzes the strategic value of Rare earth elements (REEs), the context of the China-US rivalry, and Taiwan's strategies for addressing these challenges
Tuesday 6 May 2025
DRAM process development direction: 3D DRAM
Since the 20nm node, advancements in DRAM process technology have decelerated, with development from 19 to 11nm occurring in small, 1 to 2nm steps across several nodes labeled from 1x to the forthcoming 1d