IBM is building a foundry to produce silicon wafers used in quantum-computing processors, seeking to become an indispensable part of the quantum economy under development. Called Anderon, the independent subsidiary is set to begin production this year, a decade after IBM began exploring applications of quantum computing.
Cloud service providers are accelerating in-house AI chip development, lifting demand for application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs, and reshaping collaboration across the semiconductor supply chain.
Taiwan's economy is expected to maintain strong momentum through the second half of 2026, supported by accelerating AI-related investment, resilient exports, and robust demand across the semiconductor, memory, and server supply chains. Industry analysts and government officials increasingly believe growth could surpass earlier expectations as AI infrastructure spending continues to expand worldwide.
South Korea's government is in talks with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix over a potential new phase of large-scale semiconductor investments, as the two chipmakers review plans that could include front-end fabrication plants and packaging facilities across the country's Honam and Chungcheong regions. Both companies say no final decisions have been made.
Samsung Electronics' System LSI division is pressing its mobile business to expand adoption of the in-house Exynos 2700 processor beyond the standard Galaxy S27 and S27 Plus models and into the premium Galaxy S27 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to The Bell.
Former SMIC CEO Tzu-yin Chiu is extending his semiconductor materials strategy into photomasks, one of the most critical upstream links in chip manufacturing. Guangzhou Xinrui Photomask Technology, also known as New Ray Mask, where Chiu serves as chairman, has begun IPO listing guidance, marking another step in his shift from foundry operations to China's chip materials supply chain.
Cerebras Systems' first public quarter highlighted its dependence on a small set of large partners — OpenAI and AWS anchor the business — even as management declined on the call to quantify how much revenue its biggest customers represent (deferring those concentration figures to its SEC filings).
Strong demand for AI servers is driving higher shipments of advanced printed circuit board (PCB) products in Taiwan, but it is also tightening supply of key materials and resources, adding fresh uncertainty to the industry. The Taiwan Printed Circuit Association (TPCA) and the Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI) said Taiwan's PCB manufacturing output reached NT$245.6 billion (US$7.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, up 19.6% from a year earlier and the highest level for the same period on record.
Reports of MediaTek price adjustments appear to confirm a broader pricing trend across Taiwan's IC design sector. Industry sources said many small and mid-sized chip suppliers have spent the past three months discussing potential price increases with customers, but MediaTek's move carries particular significance given its scale and market position.
SK Hynix is reportedly easing the pace of some HBM4 production conversions and redirecting more attention toward commodity DRAM, as a sharp profitability reversal makes the broader memory market too profitable to ignore.
Cerebras Systems used its first earnings call on June 26 to argue that speed is its core advantage and that the entire AI inference market is addressable. It also detailed an aggressive capacity ramp (with new data centers coming online every quarter through the end of 2027) to meet demand, it says, outstrips supply.
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