AI cloud computing will remain the primary growth driver for the tech industry in 2025, while the outlook for consumer AI applications remains mixed, largely hinging on whether users can be convinced of the need to replace their devices, according to sources at IC design houses.
Aetina, a subsidiary of Innodisk, has announced comprehensive support for the super mode feature introduced by Nvidia's Jetson Orin NX and Jetson Orin Nano modules. The company also announced a collaboration with Qualcomm, combining the latter's inference accelerators and advanced software with Aetina's edge computing hardware.
The expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) applications has established AI servers and related components as the primary growth drivers for IC distributors. With shipments of AI servers expected to increase quarterly in 2025, these robust contributions from AI are anticipated to further elevate distributor revenues throughout the year.
MediaTek is making waves at CES 2025 with its AIoT advancements, despite not hosting a public exhibition. The company is showcasing its broad capabilities across IoT, tablets, TVs, automotive applications, and transmission technologies like Wi-Fi and 5G.
End-user brands have traditionally been the stars of the show at CES, with upstream supply chain companies typically maintaining a non-official presence primarily to connect with potential clients. However, Taiwanese ASIC newcomer Microip broke with tradition by setting up a public booth at CES 2025. According to company chairman James Yang, this decision was driven by the anticipated increase in ASIC demand in the AIoT era; given this context, such an unconventional approach may not be so surprising after all.
The significance of humanoid robots lies not in their human form, but in their capacity to replicate human behavior, according to Haw Chen, CEO of the world's second-largest collaborative robot (cobot) maker Techman Robot. In this sense, AI will allow robots to learn behaviors much like how human children learn, rather than through programming via mathematical operations.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang captivated the CES 2025 audience with an unexpected revelation during his keynote address. While the announcement of new hardware products, including the latest RTX 50 series graphics cards, was anticipated, the pricing strategy emerged as the true showstopper. Except for the premium RTX 5090, most models demonstrated enhanced performance without the customary price increases. The announcement of the RTX 5070's US$549 price point triggered spontaneous applause, marking a standout moment in the presentation.
At CES 2025, AMD showcased its latest innovations, unveiling the Ryzen 9000X3D processor series, Ryzen 9000HX, 9000HX3D processors, and the Radeon RX 9000 graphics card lineup. The company also announced updates to its Ryzen AI 300 and Ryzen AI PRO 300 processors, designed to support gaming, AI-enhanced PCs, and enterprise-level applications, further solidifying its leadership in cutting-edge computing technology.
As inventory adjustments conclude and edge computing—including robotics—gains momentum, industrial personal computer (IPC) manufacturers express confidence regarding growth in 2025.
As AI and edge computation continue to take the spotlight at CES 2025, industrial PC (IPC) makers have sought to gain exposure on the show floor through strategic partnerships showcasing their edge computing and edge AI solutions.
As 2024 comes to a close, the global technology industry is looking forward to new opportunities in 2025. The rapid implementation of generative AI (GenAI) technologies has led to an influx of new applications, while the electric vehicle (EV) market is poised for significant developments in the new year.
Tesla executive Jeff Lutz clarified on social media that the Dojo chip is not directly used in electric vehicles (EVs) or the Optimus robot but instead provides computational support for AI training, further enhancing the performance of full self-driving (FSD) technology. Observing the four key puzzle pieces in Tesla's AI system offers insight into Musk's grand AI plan.
As 2024 concludes and 2025 begins, AI remains the cornerstone of semiconductor sector growth, fueling increased demand for foundry services. However, Donald Trump's return to the presidency on January 20, 2025, introduces potential uncertainties. His administration's policies could drive inflation and economic cooling, aligning with a predicted downturn in the semiconductor market cycle. This adds complexity to the outlook under the Trump 2.0 administration.
AI and high-performance computing (HPC) are pushing Qualcomm and AMD to escalate their challenge against Intel's decades-long dominance. Through technological innovation and focused channel strategies, both companies aim to reshape the competitive dynamics in the PC and server markets.
The networking landscape for AI clusters is undergoing a significant transformation as Ethernet emerges as a viable alternative to traditional interconnect technologies. While Nvidia's proprietary interconnect technology currently offers the lowest latency for AI workloads, the industry is increasingly exploring more cost-effective networking solutions that can support growing AI deployments.
Nvidia is reportedly forming a humanoid robot supply chain in Taiwan, targeting key machine tool manufacturers as partners and considering local assembly lines. However, existing partners have clarified that their collaboration models with Nvidia remain unchanged.
Advantech has announced its ambitious plans to establish dominance in the rapidly growing sectors of edge computing and artificial intelligence (AI). Chairman KC Liu revealed the company's strategic transition, emphasizing its dedication to leveraging the transformative power of these technologies to seize new opportunities across various industries.
Ahead of the holiday season, Google introduced the Gemini 2.0 model alongside its Android XR operating system and released a video highlighting advancements in Project Astra. Despite setbacks with earlier smart glasses projects, this move—leveraging the current AI innovation—has reignited speculation about a potential new smart glasses launch.
Samsung Electronics plans to introduce samples of its next-generation LPDDR6 memory by late 2025, addressing the growing demand for on-device AI solutions. The initiative aims to enhance Samsung's technological edge and shift toward high-value-added memory products, countering declining general-purpose DRAM prices.
The development of AI robots spans multiple sectors, from smart factories to smart homes and specialized applications. However, for semiconductor giants like Nvidia and Qualcomm, penetrating the industrial sector presents challenges reminiscent of the autonomous vehicle market.
Donald Trump has accelerated his cabinet appointments post-election, naming all 15 cabinet-level positions and over 20 key officials within 20 days—outpacing his first-term timeline.
Both Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang consider humanoid robots to be the ultimate chapter in AI development. According to a Goldman Sachs research forecast for the first half of 2024, humanoid robot shipments are expected to exceed 250,000 units by 2030, with nearly all deployments in industrial sectors.
MiTAC Corporate President Billy Ho expressed optimism for 2025, though he acknowledged the significant uncertainties ahead, including geopolitical tensions and the potential impact of a "Trump 2.0" scenario. To mitigate these risks, MiTAC is taking proactive measures to ensure resilience and adaptability in the face of potential disruptions.
Recent reports claim that OpenAI is in discussions with Samsung Electronics (Samsung) regarding a collaboration to integrate ChatGPT into their devices, which could mirror Apple's approach. The actual partnership dynamics, along with Samsung's existing relationship with Google, are drawing significant attention.
