chip 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.

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.

China may allow Alibaba and ByteDance to purchase new Nvidia chips, according to a report by The Information. The potential decision would mark a shift in Beijing's stance on access to advanced US semiconductor technology for its largest technology companies, which rely heavily on Nvidia chips for artificial intelligence development.

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.

A shortage of memory chips is being driven by surging AI infrastructure demand colliding with limited wafer capacity and the industry's focus on high-bandwidth memory for accelerators. DRAM and NAND makers have shifted investment toward HBM, leaving conventional memory supply tight, and new manufacturing capacity takes years to bring online. Discussion centres on how long the squeeze will last and what it means for pricing across the tech industry.

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.

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.

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.