Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates delivered to your inbox every day, and stay up-to-date for free 🧠📈
Share
Linkedin
Twitter
Facebook
Whatsapp
Copy Link
AMD has released ROCm 7.14 as a new production release, introducing support for the upcoming Ryzen AI MAX PRO 400 series processors. The update transforms ROCm into a modular AI software platform built on TheRock infrastructure, enabling faster innovation while improving software quality for developers working across Ryzen AI workstations and AMD Instinct clusters.
NVIDIA introduced two new Blackwell-powered modules—Jetson Thor T3000 and T2000—designed to advance mainstream robotics and edge AI applications. The T3000 delivers 865 teraflops in a compact, power-efficient design, while the T2000 offers an entry point with 400 teraflops. Leading companies including Boston Dynamics, Amazon Robotics, and Agility are already building on the platform, with both modules scheduled for Q1 2027 launch.
Apple is shopping for AI chip companies after its M2 Ultra-powered servers proved insufficient for advanced AI tasks. The company has approached semiconductor startups and investment bankers about potential acquisitions to bolster its AI server capabilities. With the Gemini-powered Siri running on NVIDIA chips via Google Cloud and delays in its next-generation Baltra chip, Apple appears ready to break its pattern of modest spending to secure its AI infrastructure future.
AI cloud company CoreWeave is exploring financial derivatives like put options to protect against falling memory chip prices after signing long-term supply agreements with price floors. The move highlights how deeply AI infrastructure demand has entangled cloud providers with volatile chip markets, as memory prices have nearly doubled this year but historically collapse when new manufacturing capacity comes online.
Prediction market platform Kalshi has developed a forward curve tracking the future price of computing power, using weekly and monthly event contracts to predict GPU rental costs up to a year ahead. The move positions Kalshi alongside CME and ICE in the race to transform AI infrastructure into a tradable commodity, as GPU capacity becomes increasingly constrained and expensive.
Morgan Stanley has defended Broadcom against investor concerns about rising competition, calling it a core AI winner second only to Nvidia. The firm projects Broadcom will retain roughly 80% of Google's tensor processing unit business despite MediaTek's entry, dismissing bearish forecasts as premature. Broadcom shares have dropped 22% from their June peak despite recent chip deals with Apple, Meta, and Google.
TYLSemi, founded by former Qualcomm AlphaWave executives, has raised $43 million to challenge the custom AI chip market with standards-based chiplets. The startup promises to cut development costs by nearly 50% and reduce timelines by half, offering an alternative to proprietary solutions from Broadcom and Marvell Technology.
Reflection AI has signed a $1 billion computing capacity agreement with European AI infrastructure provider Nebius, gaining access to Nvidia's latest chips. The deal follows the startup's recent SpaceX partnership and reflects surging demand for open AI models as concerns grow over closed-source alternatives. Nebius now faces the challenge of financing its expanding infrastructure needs.
DeepSeek is preparing for a potential IPO as early as 2027 while pursuing a new fundraising round at $71 billion valuation—a 40% jump in just six weeks. The Chinese AI startup, which closed its first-ever outside funding of $7 billion at $50 billion valuation in June, now faces rising costs as it competes with OpenAI and Anthropic while building out infrastructure and developing its own AI chips.
Tower Semiconductor unveiled a $3 billion Japan expansion targeting silicon photonics and optical components for AI data centers, with Tokyo contributing $1 billion in grants. The dual-track project aims for full production by Q4 2027, with the company raising its 2028 revenue forecast to $3.6 billion as more than 70% of planned capacity is already committed through customer contracts.
United Microelectronics Corporation announced its first mass-produced silicon photonics wafers from its Singapore facility, partnering with SILITH Technology to deliver high-speed optical interconnects for AI infrastructure. Citi analysts project a 13% quarter-on-quarter sales jump for the second quarter of 2026, while UMC's June sales surged 22.85% year-on-year to $719.21 million, signaling strong momentum in the semiconductor manufacturing sector.
ASML, the world's leading maker of chip manufacturing equipment, raised its annual sales outlook to €43-45bn as surging AI chip demand drives orders for its advanced EUV lithography machines. The Dutch company now plans to boost production capacity by 30% next year and is already close to fully booked through 2027, cementing its position as Europe's most valuable company.
Global smartphone shipments plummeted 11% in Q2 2026, marking the steepest decline since 2013. The memory shortage, driven by AI's insatiable demand for high-bandwidth chips, has forced manufacturers to shift production away from consumer electronics. Budget phones face price hikes of up to 68%, while premium brands like Apple and Samsung continue to gain market share.
South Korea has raised its 2026 economic growth forecast to 3%, the strongest pace in five years, riding a global surge in AI chip demand. The government plans to fast-track mega projects covering semiconductor manufacturing, AI data centres and physical AI investments, backed by a 2027 budget exceeding 800 trillion won. The upgrade marks a sharp revision from the previous 2.0% forecast.
China's exports surged 27% in June, far exceeding forecasts as global demand for AI-related technology drove semiconductor and data center equipment sales. Imports also jumped 36% to a five-year high, pushing the trade surplus to $125.6 billion. The strong performance masks persistent domestic economic challenges, including a prolonged property crisis and weak consumer spending that leave manufacturers heavily dependent on overseas markets.
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.