International semiconductor chip giants will collect at Taiwan’s high tech expo this week to showcase “the next frontier” for an trade 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 influence of US tariffs and disrupted provide chains.
The four-day occasion will draw pc and chip corporations from around the globe to Taiwan, whose semiconductor trade is essential to the manufacturing of every part from iPhones to the servers that run ChatGPT.
Taiwan produces the majority of the world’s most superior chips, together with these wanted for essentially the most highly effective AI functions and analysis.
“I have many amazing announcements to make,” Huang informed reporters in Taipei on Friday.
“We are at the heart of the technology ecosystem and so there are many partners of ours here and we’re looking forward to announcing many collaborations, many new projects, many new technologies and initiatives together.”
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 vehicles will probably be within the highlight.
“From Agentic AI driving smarter personal devices to Physical AI reshaping autonomy, the show maps out the next frontier,” specialist analysis agency Counterpoint mentioned in a notice.
Tech professional Paul Yu informed AFP the trade was at a “critical juncture” for AI {hardware} improvement.
“Over the past two and a half years, significant investment has driven rapid advances in AI technology,” mentioned Yu, of Witology Markettrend Analysis Institute.
“2025 to 2026 will be the crucial period for transitioning AI model training into profitable applications.”
‘Taiwan to proceed to thrive’
Whereas US tariffs have been the largest problem going through the sector, most corporations at Computex “will shy away from addressing tariffs directly as the situation is too uncertain,” mentioned Eric Smith of specialist platform TechInsights.
Final month, Washington introduced a nationwide safety probe into imports of semiconductor expertise, which might put the trade 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 in opposition to lots of America’s largest commerce companions with the purpose of forcing corporations 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 % US tariff on its shipments.
However there are considerations the island might lose its dominance of the chip sector — the so-called “silicon shield” 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 high 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 influence of tariffs on Taiwan, saying the island would “remain at the centre of the technology ecosystem”.
“There are so many smart companies here, there are so many innovative and spirited companies,” Huang mentioned.
“I fully expect Taiwan to continue to thrive… before, after, throughout.”
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
