Following its latest financial results on November 20, Nvidia announced that Blackwell shipments are set to accelerate as suppliers scale up production, boosting its gross margin. Despite potential export restrictions under the incoming US administration, Nvidia reaffirmed its commitment to the Chinese market, ensuring compliance with US regulations.

Nvidia issued a revenue forecast that fell short of the most optimistic projections, hinting at potential limits to its rapid growth. Despite this tempered outlook, the company's performance has been remarkable over the past two years. Nvidia is on track to double its sales for the second consecutive year, achieving profits that surpass its former total revenue.

China's presence in the world of supercomputing has diminished significantly, according to the latest Top500 list. The number of Chinese systems on the prestigious ranking dropped to 62 from 134 in June 2023, marking a dramatic decline that coincides with the US Department of Commerce's decision to blacklist Inspur, a major Chinese supercomputer manufacturer, in March 2023.

The era of liquid cooling for servers is on the horizon, but significant challenges remain. DIGITIMES Research analyst Kaylee Chiu outlines four critical hurdles liquid cooling technology must address.

Super Micro Computer (Supermicro) has named BDO as its new accounting firm and submitted a compliance plan to Nasdaq in an effort to address delayed financial reports within the given grace period and prevent delisting. If Nasdaq approves the plan, Supermicro could receive an extension until February 2025 to submit its financial reports.

Taiwanese IT product manufacturers expect AI server demand to drive their growth in the fourth quarter of 2024, as consumer electronics enters the traditional low season. Looking forward to 2025, the manufacturers expect even stronger orders, with AI servers showing the strongest momentum, followed by AI PCs, while automotive electronics will also be a major growth driver.

South Korea's struggle to obtain AI chips has stalled its national supercomputer project, raising concerns about its ability to stay competitive in global scientific and technological advancements. With AI investments soaring worldwide, experts urge the government to bolster its support for the sector.

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven unprecedented demand for computing power, spotlighting next-generation AI servers. Among them, the Nvidia GB200 NVL72, powered by the advanced Blackwell architecture, has attracted widespread attention for its anticipated release timeline.

MiTAC Group, a prominent technology and IT solutions provider in Taiwan, has played a significant role in supporting the local Ministry of Transportation's initiatives to advance smart cities, transportation systems, and rail networks. At its 50th Anniversary TechDay on November 18, MiTAC Information Technology and MiTAC Digital Technology showcased their latest AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) innovations in smart transportation.

Supermicro has successfully resolved its financial reporting issues by appointing BDO as its new auditor and submitting a comprehensive plan to Nasdaq outlining steps to regain compliance with exchange regulations. This resolution has had a positive ripple effect across the supply chain, easing pressure on assembly ODMs while benefiting component suppliers.

Passive component distributor Nichidenbo held its earnings call on November 18, during which company president and spokesman Yao-kuo Yu forecasted steady growth in the PC and consumer product markets for 2025. However, the EV market is harder to predict, due to uncertainties stemming from US election results, as well as inventories currently remaining at a higher level.

Despite signs of a possible rebound in the industrial control market, industrial PC (IPC) manufacturers believe performance will depend on related policies once US President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January 2025.

President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in on January 20, 2025. A primary concern in the software sector is the potential tightening of regulations on open-source models and the implications for cloud service providers' operations in China.

Nvidia's upcoming Blackwell GPUs, already delayed to market, are reportedly facing severe overheating issues in high-capacity server racks, raising concerns over deployment timelines.

NetApp, Taiwan's leading storage brand, has announced plans to move beyond the manufacturing sector and venture into finance, healthcare, and retail to create more growth opportunities. GM of NetApp Taiwan, Peter Chu, emphasized that Taiwan is a global hub for server manufacturing, and through the integration of servers and storage solutions, there are significant opportunities to jointly explore vertical markets.

Corona Chen, CEO and president of server chassis manufacturer Chenbro, expressed concerns about meeting customer demands in November and December, as production capacity is already at its maximum. This challenge extends beyond Chenbro to affect the entire related supply chain. She noted that momentum remains strong not only for AI servers, but general-purpose server demand has also stabilized after two years of weakness.

2024 has been a standout year for AMD, fueled by its expansive lineup of EPYC and Ryzen CPUs on the x86 architecture and the introduction of its Zen 5 processors. Mercury Research's latest report reveals AMD's impressive growth in revenue and unit share, underscoring its strong performance trajectory.

Quanta has capitalized on surging AI demand, achieving record-breaking revenue and profit in the third quarter of 2024. Revenue soared nearly 50% compared to the same period last year while operating profit surged by 55.2%.

Compal expects modest PC market growth in 2025, supported by the Windows 10 end-of-life transition and increasing AI PC adoption. The company is also making strides in the AI server market, with Chairman Ray Chen expressing confidence in becoming a supplier for Nvidia-powered AI servers.

Harold Liu, Director of Wiwynn's Pioneering Excellence Center, highlighted how AI servers are transforming the traditional server supply chain. Liu noted that GPU servers operate within closed ecosystems controlled by chip suppliers, resulting in nearly identical Nvidia NVL72 server racks across exhibitions. In comparison, ASIC servers pose unique challenges for ODMs, demanding greater R&D investments.

Taiwan continues to capitalize on opportunities for contract manufacturing of cutting-edge technology products as the trade disputes between the US and China intensify. The unrestricted access to the most advanced equipment and materials in the semiconductor industry enables Taiwan to produce products that are unparalleled in terms of technological advancements.

On November 14, Foxlink Group (formerly Cheng Uei Precision Industry) inaugurated Ubilink, establishing Taiwan's largest AI supercomputing center and first platform utilizing Nvidia Hopper GPUs. The center aims to serve small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that cannot afford dedicated computing facilities.

Taiwan-based server original design manufacturers (ODMs) anticipate a significant surge in AI server sales by 2025. However, the rapid increase in sales has led to higher accounts receivable and inventory levels, making financial endurance crucial for these companies.

Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) held its third quarter online earnings call on November 14, during which chairman Young Liu highlighted record-breaking cumulative revenue, gross margin, operating profit, and net profit compared to previous years, despite operational challenges. Growth is expected to continue into the fourth quarter and 2025, driven by traditional peak season demand and AI servers.

Kaori Heat Treatment Co. approved the formation of a wholly-owned subsidiary focused on thermal solutions at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on November 12, transferring its thermal energy division to the new entity, Kaori Thermal Technology. The restructuring aims to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen the group's positioning in the growing artificial intelligence infrastructure market.