World semiconductor chip giants will collect at Taiwan’s prime tech expo this week to showcase “the subsequent frontier” for an business dominated by synthetic intelligence.
Nvidia boss Jensen Huang will make a keynote speech on Monday, the eve of Computex, because the tech sector grapples with the impression of US tariffs and disrupted provide chains.
The four-day occasion will draw laptop and chip firms from all over the world to Taiwan, whose semiconductor business is important to the manufacturing of the whole lot from iPhones to the servers that run ChatGPT.
Taiwan produces the majority of the world’s most superior chips, together with these wanted for probably the most highly effective AI functions and analysis.
“I’ve many superb bulletins to make,” Huang advised reporters in Taipei on Friday.
“We’re on the coronary heart of the expertise ecosystem and so there are numerous companions of ours right here and we’re wanting ahead to asserting many collaborations, many new tasks, many new applied sciences and initiatives collectively.”
High executives from Qualcomm, MediaTek and Foxconn can even converse at Computex, the place advances in shifting AI from knowledge centres into laptops, robots and automobiles will likely be within the highlight.
“From Agentic AI driving smarter private units to Bodily AI reshaping autonomy, the present maps out the subsequent frontier,” specialist analysis agency Counterpoint mentioned in a be aware.
Tech knowledgeable Paul Yu advised AFP the business was at a “important juncture” for AI {hardware} growth.
“Over the previous two and a half years, vital funding has pushed speedy advances in AI expertise,” mentioned Yu, of Witology Markettrend Analysis Institute.
“2025 to 2026 would be the essential interval for transitioning AI mannequin coaching into worthwhile functions.”
‘Taiwan to proceed to thrive’
Whereas US tariffs have been the largest difficulty dealing with the sector, most firms at Computex “will draw back from addressing tariffs straight because the scenario is just too unsure,” mentioned Eric Smith of specialist platform TechInsights.
Final month, Washington introduced a nationwide safety probe into imports of semiconductor expertise, which might put the business within the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s commerce bazooka and inflict doubtlessly devastating levies.
Since taking workplace in January, Trump has threatened hefty tariffs towards a lot of America’s greatest commerce companions with the intention of forcing firms to maneuver manufacturing to US soil.
Export-dependent Taiwan has pledged to extend funding in the USA because it seeks to keep away from a 32 p.c US tariff on its shipments.
However there are considerations the island might lose its dominance of the chip sector — the so-called “silicon protect” defending it from an invasion or blockade by China and an incentive for the USA to defend it.
TSMC, the Taiwanese contract chipmaking large, has unveiled plans to inject a further $100 billion into the USA, on prime of the $65 billion already pledged.
TSMC-supplier GlobalWafers additionally introduced plans final week to extend its US funding by $4 billion because the Taiwanese firm opened a wafer facility within the US state Texas.
However Huang was optimistic on Friday when requested concerning the impression of tariffs on Taiwan, saying the island would “stay on the centre of the expertise ecosystem”.
“There are such a lot of good firms right here, there are such a lot of progressive and spirited firms,” Huang mentioned.
“I totally count on Taiwan to proceed to thrive… earlier than, after, all through.”
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
