semiconductor industry

ASML, the Dutch maker of advanced chipmaking equipment, says it is not selling its machines in Europe and has warned the region risks falling behind the United States, China and India in semiconductors. The remarks are drawing attention in tech and business circles, with debate over what they mean for Europe's industrial strategy and ambitions to build a domestic chip industry.

Dutch chip equipment maker ASML says it is not selling its chipmaking machines in Europe, warning that the region risks falling behind the US, China and India in semiconductors. The remarks are drawing attention to Europe's limited role in advanced chip manufacturing despite hosting ASML itself, and are fueling debate about industrial policy and investment in the region.

China is reportedly considering allowing ByteDance and Alibaba to purchase new Nvidia chips, according to a report carried by Firstpost. The potential move would grant two of the country's largest technology companies access to advanced US-made semiconductors amid ongoing restrictions. The report did not specify chip models, timelines, or whether approval has been granted.

An ASML executive has said the Dutch chipmaking equipment giant currently sells none of its machines in Europe, underscoring how little leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing takes place on the continent. The comment highlights Europe's reliance on Asia and the United States for chip production, despite EU ambitions to expand domestic semiconductor capacity.

Reports suggest China may allow Alibaba and ByteDance to purchase Nvidia's newest AI chips, a shift from earlier restrictions on advanced US semiconductor exports. If confirmed, the move would ease access to critical hardware for two of China's largest technology companies and could signal a thaw in US-China tensions over chip trade. Observers are watching for official confirmation from both governments.

China is considering allowing ByteDance and Alibaba to buy Nvidia's newest chips, according to a report by The Information. The deliberation comes amid ongoing US-China tensions over semiconductor exports, with Washington restricting sales of advanced Nvidia technology to Chinese companies. Any approval would signal a shift in Beijing's stance and could ease pressure on major Chinese AI firms seeking cutting-edge hardware.

Chinese chipmaker Amicro, described as a 'little giant' firm, has cleared a key regulatory hurdle for a listing in Hong Kong, according to sources cited by the South China Morning Post. The reported progress would advance the semiconductor company's plans to go public as China pushes to develop its domestic chip industry and expand funding channels for strategic technology firms.

China's artificial intelligence industry is entering a new phase, shifting from playing catch-up with Western rivals to focusing on commercialization, according to DigiTimes Asia. The report, tied to semiconductor developments including CXMT and hardware packaging, suggests Chinese firms are now turning AI research into marketable products and revenue, a sign of growing maturity in the country's tech sector.

Workers at the Taiwanese factory producing a popular snack treated as a good luck charm in the chip industry have voted 94% in favour of a strike, threatening a production halt. The dispute centres on demands that employees receive a share of a $176 million factory sale to semiconductor firm ASE. The standoff has drawn attention because the snack is a familiar talisman in computing circles.

ASML, the Dutch chip equipment maker, says it sold 'absolutely nothing' in Europe in 2026 and is calling on the EU to help create demand for its lithography machines. The comments highlight Europe's weak semiconductor manufacturing base, as ASML's sales remain concentrated in Asia, particularly Taiwan, South Korea and China.

NVIDIA's GTC conference is drawing attention, with discussion centring on the company's announcements around its latest chip and AI technology plans. The event is one of the semiconductor industry's biggest gatherings, and NVIDIA typically uses it to unveil new products and partnerships. Details of what was announced remain limited.

South Korean chip developer Moblint is working with LG, Doosan and Daedong to build on-device AI semiconductors designed to run artificial intelligence directly inside robots and home appliances. The partnerships signal a push to bring AI processing off the cloud and into everyday consumer and industrial hardware across Korea's electronics and machinery sectors.

South Korean semiconductor startup Mobilint has announced partnerships with LG, Doosan Robotics and Daedong to supply its on-device AI chips. The deals would embed Mobilint's neural processing technology directly into products spanning consumer electronics, industrial robots and agricultural machinery, allowing AI tasks to run locally without cloud connections. The move highlights South Korea's push to build a domestic edge-AI chip industry to compete with global players.

Apple is reportedly considering a return to the commercial server market as competition over accelerator interconnect technology intensifies among chipmakers. The move would mark a notable shift for a company that exited the server business years ago, and it comes as rivals race to define standards for linking AI accelerators in data centers. Details about timing, products or partners remain scarce, and Apple has not publicly commented on the reports.

New data reported by The Korea Times shows that nearly 40% of South Korea's industrial technology leak cases involve semiconductor technologies. The figure highlights how heavily the country's flagship chip industry is targeted for industrial espionage, reinforcing concerns in Seoul about protecting critical technologies amid intense global competition over semiconductors.

Bruker is targeting a revenue rebound in the fourth quarter, citing growing demand from the semiconductor industry driven by artificial intelligence. The scientific instruments maker says AI-related chipmaking is boosting orders, and a strong Q4 is seen as critical to recovering its financial performance for the year.

Chiayi Science Park in southern Taiwan is showing signs of moving into a third phase of development, according to a Taipei Times report. Expansion of the park would extend the science park model that has driven Taiwan's semiconductor and technology industry, bringing potential new investment, firms and jobs to the Chiayi area.