Wistron chairman Simon Lin stated that artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure is currently centering a "1.5 wave" of development and is far from peaking, with greater growth potential ahead and across a broader range of applications. He emphasized that AI server manufacturing is becoming increasingly complex, with much faster iteration cycles, a trend that works in favor of Taiwan's ODM industry. As products grow more complex, ODMs will not revert to low-margin models of the past.

Taiwan's economy expanded 8.63% in 2025, its strongest growth in 15 years, as the island's semiconductor-driven supply chain continued to underpin global demand for AI computing. Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-hsin Kung said on February 5 that despite a high base effect from the previous year, Taiwan is expected to maintain resilience and flexibility into 2026.

NAND flash supply shortages have pushed original manufacturers to focus on AI servers, leaving PC and smartphone markets to memory module vendors. This shift offers Silicon Motion an opportunity to grow its market share in NAND controllers.

India unveils the latest Union Budget, which includes India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, to boost chip incentives. The Trump Administration announced a reduced 18% tariff on India as India diversifies trade partners.

Rising investments in AI data centers and an intensifying global push to build large-scale satellite networks are rapidly transforming Taiwan's technology supply chain, delivering a powerful start to 2026. From advanced cooling solutions and ASIC thermal modules to satellite communications components and semiconductor testing services, companies such as Microloops, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT), and MSScorps are seeing demand surge, translating into record revenues and strengthening growth visibility for the year ahead.

Elon Musk said artificial intelligence computing could become more cost-effective to deploy in space than on Earth within the next 30 to 36 months, arguing that power generation and terrestrial infrastructure are emerging as the primary constraints on AI expansion rather than semiconductor supply.

Liquid cooling adoption has been led by Nvidia servers, with ASIC servers now accelerating the shift. DIGITIMES Research estimates liquid cooling will account for 50% of AI server thermal solutions in 2026, driven largely by ASIC platforms. Industry sources said cooling suppliers are not only targeting Nvidia GPU systems but are increasingly competing for ASIC server orders due to higher margins.

At the annual Taipei International Book Exhibition — traditionally a peak season for e-reader launches and promotions — E Ink Holdings, the world's largest e-paper material supplier, used the event to assess the latest market trends. David Liu, assistant vice president of E Ink's eReader Business Unit, shared his frontline observations.

India is in talks with Ant International, the Singapore-based payments firm with roots in China's Ant Group, to link its Alipay+ cross-border payments platform with India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a move that could significantly expand the overseas usability of India's dominant digital payments system, two government sources told Reuters.

Artificial intelligence startups drew more than half of global venture capital funding in 2025, marking a significant shift in investor focus toward AI and machine learning companies, according to an analysis by Best Brokers. The report found that AI startups accounted for US$270.2 billion of the US$512.6 billion deployed worldwide, representing 52.7% of total venture capital deal value.

As generative AI expands into physical environments, robotic systems are moving beyond traditional digital roles to interact with their surroundings physically through perception and action. This shift toward Physical AI, supported by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's repeated public endorsements, is reviving global interest in robotics, an industry historically centered on industrial automation. Supply chain players are accelerating strategic efforts to capitalize on this renewed momentum amid an ongoing industry restructuring.