Foxconn is redefining smart manufacturing and aiming for a future where AI produces AI. Foxconn's two-day Hon Hai Tech Day (HHTD24) event began on October 8, during which it unveiled its smart factory platform for the first time.

As Generative AI (GenAI) technology matures and its functions improve, businesses are exploring new applications beyond traditional devices. While GenAI has already made inroads into televisions, wearable devices, and smart speakers, innovative products continue to emerge.

Formula One, commonly known as Formula 1 or F1, has expanded its partnership with Lenovo Group due to their shared ideas regarding artificial intelligence (AI) applications, according to F1 director of IT Chris Roberts.

Lenovo Group has recently renewed its partnership with Formula 1 (F1), underscoring the growing significance of AI technology in motorsports. The collaboration, initially established in 2022, not only represents a convergence of racing and technology but also highlights the increasing demand for AI applications, which are becoming more rigorous and wide-ranging.

The escalating tensions between major powers are reshaping global investment and trade patterns, leading to a surge in companies facing divestment, relocation, and investment shifts. This trend suggests an impending rise in production and trade costs, coupled with intensified competition for localized investments. Nations that previously benefited from global supply chain shifts should remain vigilant, as they may become potential targets in the United States' evolving trade strategies.

Jyh-Cheng Chen, chair professor at the Department of Computer Science and dean of the College of Computer Science at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), has led an academic team in developing "free5GC," an open-source 5G core network compliant with the 3GPP R15 standard.

Large and small language models continue to evolve towards multimodal capabilities. In addition to established companies like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, and Meta, the French startup Mistral AI has introduced its first 12B multimodal small model. Design software company Adobe has also launched a model capable of generating videos.

Artificial intelligence startup Groq Inc. has partnered with oil producer Aramco to build a giant data center in Saudi Arabia that it hopes will become a hub for companies running AI systems across the Middle East, Africa, and India.

As the semiconductor industry faces unprecedented demand for cutting-edge technologies, Imec, a global leader in nanoelectronics research, is stepping up as the essential bridge between groundbreaking innovation and commercial success.

At Apple's September keynote event, on top of the announcement of the new iPhone 16 series and new additions to the Apple Watch and AirPods product lineups, all the attention is on Apple Intelligence. While Apple confirmed that the iPhone 16 series is "built from the ground up" for Apple Intelligence, the AI features will be available in beta next month and likely won't fully arrive until the first quarter of 2025.

HiSilicon will hold its Connect Conference, inviting its suppliers, downstream customers, and distributors to facilitate communication and interaction with existing partners, according to industry sources in China.

To address evolving market and customer demands, Joinsoon Electronics Manufacturing Co Ltd is expediting its capacity transfer. The phase-two expansion at its Thailand facility has been completed and is set to begin production in the third quarter of 2024.

The Canada-Taiwan Semiconductor Co-Innovation Forum, held on September 6 in Hsinchu during the week of SEMICON Taiwan 2024, attracted Taiwanese semiconductor supply chain companies eager to advance their products toward mass production within the next two to three years.

Canada is poised to play a crucial role in advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the coming years. As the country holds vital solutions to overcome various industry challenges, its significance is steadily growing. Recently, Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, drew media attention during a lecture at Stanford, where he stated that Canada should be a key partner for the United States in meeting the escalating energy demands of AI. However, energy is just one facet of Canada's success story in the AI landscape.

With the increasing implementation and demand for edge AI applications, DRAM manufacturer Innodisk stated that its edge AI projects have been progressing smoothly with AIoT-related businesses accounting for 21% of its overall revenues in the first half of 2024, rising from 2023's 19-20%, and the company is aiming to raise the share by an additional 2pp from the first half in the second half of 2024.

Due to the ever-changing nature of the industry and the growing competition within the market, Ennoconn's chairman, Fu-chuan Chu, who recently landed an agreement with NCR Voyix as its exclusive hardware provider, stated that he hopes to utilize the years of experience in ESG and AI areas to create value and break free from the stress of competing against market prices.

Xiaomi Group Chairman Lei Jun announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the international version of Xiaomi's next flagship smartphone will collaborate with Google, leveraging Google Cloud and Gemini to create a more intuitive user experience.

As the market eagerly awaits the rise of humanoid robots, Taiwan's leading precision gear reducer manufacturer, Apex Dynamics, believes it will take time for the technology to mature.

SIGGRAPH 2024 felt especially like a celebration party hosted by Nvidia, which has been sponsoring SIGGRAPH every year since 2020. Nvidia's presence was everywhere at this annual conference centered around computer graphics: 20 papers at the intersection of generative AI and simulation, Gen AI Day, developer education sessions, OpenUSD announcements… the list goes on.

One month into the UK's new Labour government taking office, the shelving of key AI projects has signalled a major shift in the country's tech policies. Recent reports indicate that the new government plans to scrap two major computing infrastructure projects collectively worth GBP1.3 billion (US$1.7 billion).

Intel's recent announcement to cut 15% of its workforce (approximately 15,000 employees) and reduce capital expenditures to save US$10 billion may undermine its goal of reclaiming leadership in the semiconductor industry.

On July 27, at the Stanford Memorial Auditorium, Professor Mau-Chung Chang, co-founder of Kneron, a provider of edge AI solutions, was awarded the inaugural 2024 Asian American Pioneer Medal for his outstanding contributions to technology.

At an event hosted by the Macronix Education Foundation on July 27, Cheng-wen Wu, Minister of the National Science and Technology Council, outlined three key indicators that could position Taiwan as the "Island of AI": the capability to research and develop AI systems, the ability to produce AI systems beyond just hardware, and understanding the limits of AI and related technologies.

Taiwan's Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) is promoting the application of 5G private networks to increase the competitiveness of all industries by combining 5G with semiconductor manufacturing, information communication technology, petrochemical, and construction industries.

The success of COMPUTEX 2024 inspired another forum to gather industry leaders to discuss the impact of Generative AI and how Taiwan can leverage AI for industrial transformation. Although robust future growth potential is the consensus, environmental sustainability remains a concern for Taiwan to maintain competitiveness and manufacturing capacity in the AI era.