semiconductors

Samsung is expected to more than double its output of HBM4 and HBM4E high-bandwidth memory DRAM, according to sources cited by South Korean outlet Sedaily. The expansion signals Samsung's push to scale up next-generation memory supply amid booming demand from AI chipmakers, where it faces intense competition with SK Hynix in the high-bandwidth memory market.

ASML, the Dutch maker of advanced lithography equipment used to produce semiconductors, said it is not selling chipmaking machines in Europe. The company warned that without access to such equipment, Europe risks falling behind the United States, China and India in the global semiconductor race. The comments have drawn attention to concerns about Europe's competitiveness in strategic technology industries and its reliance on suppliers and manufacturing capacity elsewhere.

A news report circulating on Hacker News quotes an ASML executive saying the Dutch chipmaking-equipment giant currently sells no lithography machines within Europe, despite being a European company. Commenters and readers appear surprised given Europe's push to expand domestic semiconductor manufacturing. ASML makes the world's most advanced chipmaking tools, and its sales are heavily concentrated with Asian and US chipmakers, so the claim highlights how far European chip production capacity lags behind.

Reporting from Taipei frames Taiwan as the potential deciding factor in the escalating technology rivalry between the United States and China. Taiwan's tech industry produces more than 90 percent of the world's most advanced semiconductors, the chips that power AI servers, giving the island outsized strategic importance as both superpowers compete for dominance in artificial intelligence.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is lobbying the US administration to hold off on a new round of export restrictions that would hit ASML's China business. US lawmakers are pushing legislation that could tighten controls on the Dutch chip-equipment maker's immersion lithography systems and its servicing activities for Chinese customers, putting The Hague and Washington at odds over the scope of semiconductor curbs.

A Wall Street Journal report says the United States lags behind in memory chip manufacturing, and new tariffs could make catching up more difficult. The piece examines how US dependence on foreign memory suppliers intersects with trade policy amid the broader AI-driven semiconductor boom and ongoing efforts to boost domestic chip production.

ASML, the Dutch maker of advanced chip lithography equipment, says it sold 'absolutely nothing' in Europe in 2026, with its sales going almost entirely to chipmakers in Asia and the United States. The company is calling on the European Union to help build actual demand for chips and chip manufacturing in Europe rather than focusing on regulation. The remarks highlight how little of Europe's semiconductor ambitions have translated into orders.

ASML, the Dutch maker of chipmaking equipment, has said it sold 'absolutely nothing' in Europe in 2026, despite Europe being its home region. The company is calling on the European Union to help create demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, pointing out that chip production capacity and investment are concentrated elsewhere, mainly Asia and the United States.

The Trump administration is moving to claw back unallocated CHIPS Act semiconductor funding, favoring tariffs to push chipmakers into US investment. TSMC retained its $6.6 billion grant but raised its total American investment pledge from $65 billion to over $165 billion, partly under tariff pressure. Critics note tariffs build manufacturing capacity far more slowly than direct subsidies and shift reshoring costs onto private capital.

The Xi-Trump summit concluded without US export controls on semiconductors being a major talking point, according to the South China Morning Post. The omission is notable given that Washington's chip curbs on China have been one of the most contentious issues in bilateral trade and technology relations, and observers had expected the topic to feature prominently in the leaders' discussions.

Taiwan's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing, led by TSMC, is being described as a 'silicon shield' that deters Chinese aggression and makes the island indispensable to the United States, especially as artificial intelligence drives global demand for advanced chips. Commentators argue this economic and technological leverage has kept Taiwan secure despite rising cross-strait tensions.

India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called for increased investment in artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing. Speaking publicly, she urged companies and investors to commit capital to these strategic technology sectors, positioning them as key priorities for India's economic growth and technological self-reliance.

US Senator Ted Cruz has said that winning the artificial intelligence race against China is the 'single most important economic question' facing America. His comments frame AI development as a strategic competition between the two countries, adding to ongoing debate in Washington over how the US should maintain its technological edge over Beijing amid tightening restrictions on semiconductors and advanced computing.

Micron Technology is weighing a massive investment of roughly $100 billion to build a memory chip manufacturing complex in the Syracuse, New York area, one of the largest factory bets in the US semiconductor industry. Coverage focuses on the sheer scale of the project, its expected economic impact for upstate New York, and whether Micron can deliver on the ambitious plan amid shifting memory chip demand.

Apple and Qualcomm have renewed their chip licensing agreement, extending a business relationship that has included both legal disputes and supply deals in recent years. Qualcomm continues to supply modem chips for Apple's iPhones, and the renewal keeps that arrangement in place. The news is being reported by technology and semiconductor industry outlets.

Google is preparing to test its artificial intelligence chips in space, according to a report by The Brussels Times. The move points to the company exploring orbital conditions as a way to evaluate or expand its custom AI hardware capabilities beyond terrestrial data centres. Details on timing, which chips are involved and the goals of the tests remain limited, but the story is drawing attention within the semiconductor and space technology communities.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, an initiative to test its artificial intelligence chips in space for the first time. The plan would place hardware in orbit to explore whether space-based data centers could supplement Earth-bound infrastructure. Details on timing and partners remain limited, but the announcement is drawing attention within the semiconductor and cloud computing industries.

Automotive localisation is advancing beyond chip manufacturing to include smart factories, as carmakers and suppliers work to build domestic capability across more of the vehicle technology stack. The shift reflects efforts to reduce dependence on imported semiconductors and manufacturing technology, extending self-reliance from components to full production systems.

Jensen Huang has vowed to double chip production, a commitment that would tie up an estimated 37% of the world's high-bandwidth memory supply for 2026. The pledge puts fresh pressure on HBM producers, whose capacity is already stretched by surging demand for AI accelerators, and raises questions about whether rivals will be able to secure memory for competing chips.

Attention is focused on NVIDIA's GTC conference, the company's flagship event for announcing new AI chips, software and partnerships. Attendees and industry watchers typically follow the keynotes closely for updates on GPU roadmaps and AI infrastructure plans that shape the semiconductor market.

A former semiconductor factory in Eugene, Oregon, that has sat closed is being listed for sale again after the most recent attempt to redevelop or reopen the site fell through. The property's repeated failed revivals highlight the difficulty of bringing older chip manufacturing facilities back into use, even as interest in domestic semiconductor capacity grows.

Reports say China's Moonshot, an artificial intelligence firm, is seeking access to additional Nvidia Blackwell chips. The report comes a week after a Trump administration official flagged a breach of US export controls on advanced chips to China. The development lands amid tightening US restrictions on selling cutting-edge Nvidia semiconductors to Chinese companies, a flashpoint in the ongoing tech and trade standoff between Washington and Beijing.

Thieves in the San Francisco Bay Area made off with roughly 20 tons of material they believed were valuable microchips, only to discover the cargo was actually sand. The heist highlights ongoing thefts targeting semiconductors, among the most sought-after commodities in global supply chains. Reports say the haul is essentially worthless, leaving the culprits empty-handed despite the scale of the operation.