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Nov 21
OpenAI turns to Foxconn to build next-gen AI hardware in the US

Foxconn chairman Young Liu stated that the company would announce a collaboration with OpenAI at Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD25). On the morning of November 21, Foxconn confirmed it will work with OpenAI to design next-generation AI infrastructure hardware and manufacture it in the US. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman later appeared via video call at HHTD25 to outline the partnership.

India's efforts to build large language models (LLMs) for its diverse linguistic landscape are accelerating, driven by community-led data collection, academic research, and government-backed AI initiatives. With more than 1,600 languages and dialects spoken across the country, developers say the lack of high-quality digital data — especially for low-resource languages — is one of the biggest obstacles to creating AI systems that work for Indian users.
GlobalFoundries (GF) has recently acquired Singapore-based silicon photonics chip company Advanced Micro Foundry. Meanwhile, Lightmatter, a US silicon photonics chip company that works with GF, is expanding the number of systems it is building. Seeing huge growth potential in the silicon photonics market, the company expects that after completing integration and testing with switch and XPU customers, it will move toward commercial shipments in 2027.
The momentum for military-grade products remains steady, but recent volatility stems from two main factors. First, the US government shutdown delayed procurement schedules, and second, a global memory chip shortage has strained the supply chain. With relatively small shipment volumes, military-grade computer makers have limited pricing negotiation power. As a result, manufacturers have resorted to volume-driven sales at lower prices, impacting gross margins.
Japan-based NSK has announced the development of actuators capable of enabling agile movements in humanoid robots. These drive products include rotary actuators for joints such as shoulders and elbows, as well as linear actuators for arms and legs, achieving both miniaturization and lightweight design.
At Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD25), the spotlight fell on the debut of Foxconn's bipedal humanoid robot. Due to venue constraints, the robot was showcased statically, focusing on its advanced hand demonstration rather than dynamic movement. Foxconn revealed key innovations, including its first dexterous robotic hand and joint modules, signaling the company's ambition to dominate both complete robots and component markets from head to toe.
Qualcomm announced the winners of the 7th Qualcomm Innovate in Taiwan Challenge (QITC) on November 21. First place went to MoBagel, which provides high-efficiency, energy-saving, enterprise-level artificial intelligence (AI) agent solutions. Second place was awarded to Moovo, noted for its performance in smart city applications and global electric bike (e-bike) rental services. Third place went to Paia Technology, which focuses on AI education.
Although South Korea has seen its semiconductor exports hit record highs, concerns are mounting that over-reliance on specific products could heighten risks for the country's manufacturing sector. Moreover, a recent survey by the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) highlights that China is poised to surpass South Korea across all major industries by 2030, signaling a looming challenge for the country's economic dominance.
Nvidia posted strong results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2026, with CEO Jensen Huang dismissing recent claims of an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, emphasizing that the broader ecosystem is rapidly expanding. Analysts note that while the current scale of the AI market does show some bubble-like characteristics, it differs from previous boom-and-bust cycles in emerging industries. Over the medium to long term, they say, structural growth is still expected to unfold.
At its Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD) held in Nangang, Taipei, Hon Hai (Foxconn) outlined its strategic transformation through chairman Young Liu's remarks and technology showcases. The event highlighted the company's emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) and its expanded role in smart industries, underscoring a shift towards a broader technology platform service orientation.
Microsoft is making strategic shifts in response to the AI revolution by appointing Rolf Harms, a key architect of its cloud transformation, as an AI economic strategy advisor. The move aims to rebuild Microsoft's business model and cost structure to better align with AI-driven market demands, Business Insider reported.

Fujifilm will build a semiconductor materials plant in India for regional exports; Ziroh Labs promotes CPU-first AI compute; India approves 17 ECMS projects worth US$810 million to expand component manufacturing.