Semiconductor News 20251222

Main News

1. Taiwan Government Reaffirms “N-2” Rule for TSMC U.S. Exp ansion
   With TSMC’s U.S. expansion sparking security debate, the Taiwanese government has reaffirmed its maintenance of the “N-2” rule. This rule requires that technologies manufactured overseas must be at least two generations behind Taiwan’s state-of-the-art domestic technologies. The rule represents a balancing act between meeting U.S. manufacturing requirements while protecting Taiwan’s strategic advantage as a “silicon shield” and preventing the outflow of core technologies.
2. METI to Provide 1 Trillion Yen Support for Development of Domestically Produced AI for Robots
   The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to provide 1 trillion yen in support to promote the development of domestically produced AI for robots. A new company concept involving SoftBank and others has been reported, which aims not only to develop software but also to implement “physical AI” such as humanoid robots in manufacturing sites and service industries. This is a large-scale national project aimed at eliminating labor shortages and strengthening industrial competitiveness.
3. U.S . Introduces New Investment Restrictions on Chinese High-Tech Companies
   The U.S. government is embarking on new investment restrictions on Chinese high-tech companies. This is aimed at preventing U.S. capital from being used for China’s military buildup and technological breakthroughs in key technology areas such as semiconductors, AI, and quantum computing. In addition to technology export restrictions, this is a move toward financial “decoupling,” and there are concerns that the economic and technological divide between the U.S. and China will deepen further.
4. Qualcomm PC sem iconductors on the offensive, supporting 90% of popular games
   Qualcomm is stepping up its offensive in the PC semiconductor market, with PCs equipped with its chips reportedly supporting about 90% of popular games. Traditionally, compatibility has been an issue with Arm-based Windows PCs, but this is being overcome. This may accelerate the spread of “AI PCs” with superior power consumption performance and bring about a change in the market structure that has been dominated by Intel and AMD.
5. OpenAI and Oracle’s “ Stargate” Causes Power and Environmental Friction in Michigan
   Stargate, a massive data center project planned by OpenAI and Oracle, is causing a power supply and environmental conflict in Michigan, U.S.A. Learning and operating AI models requires huge amounts of power. This is a symbolic example of how the physical expansion of AI infrastructure faces the practical barrier of energy resource constraints.
6. IPO Rush Among Chinese Semiconductor Firms; Feng Yuehua Semiconductor, Others to Raise Funds
   IPOs (initial public offerings) of semiconductor companies are gaining momentum in China: Feng Yuehua Semiconductor (CanSemi), a mass producer of 12-inch wafers, has been accepted for listing on the foundation board and aims to raise approximately 7.5 billion yuan. Cinhe Semiconductor has also completed its IPO guidance. Even under U.S. sanctions, there is a strong desire to utilize China’s domestic capital markets to secure funding, expand manufacturing capacity, and promote technological independence.
7. 210 Billion Yen Subsidy for Data Centers Using Renewable Energy and Nuclear Power
   The Japanese government plans to provide 210 billion yen in subsidies for the development of data centers that utilize 100% decarbonized power sources such as renewable energy and nuclear power. The aim is to strengthen power infrastructure and computing infrastructure as a set in order to achieve carbon neutrality goals while coping with the rapid increase in power consumption associated with the spread of AI. In the global competition to attract data centers, stable clean power sources will be used as an appealing factor.
8. 1.2 Trillion Yen Subsidy for TSMC’s Kumamoto Plant Rated Positive from Geo-Economic Perspective
   An analysis of the Japanese government’s approximately 1.2 trillion yen subsidy for TSMC’s Kumamoto plant has been conducted, which is rated positive from a geo-economic perspective. Although it is a huge financial outlay, the view is that it is justified as an economic security cost to secure a supply base for essential logic semiconductors in Japan in preparation for risks such as a Taiwan contingency. It is also expected to have a ripple effect on related industries and raise the level of the technological base.
9. Chinese GPU Biren Aims for Hong Kong IPO Despite US$890 M illion Loss
   Chinese GPU maker Biren Technology is aiming to list on the Hong Kong market through an IPO despite losses of about US$890 million. The company aims to develop high-performance AI chips that could compete with Nvidia, but it faces headwinds such as being placed on the U.S. sanctions list, which restricts its contract manufacturing partners. Raising funds through a listing will be an important lifeline for survival and continued R&D.
10. Increased focus on “Physical AI”; manufacturing and infrastructure development are key
    One trend in AI technology is the increased focus on “Physical AI,” which controls physical robots and equipment as well as digital space. As its use in the manufacturing industry continues to grow, investment selection in this area is becoming more important. In addition, there are suggestions that South Korea should start with the development of infrastructure such as communication base stations in order to become a physical AI superpower, and the entire industry is shifting toward the physical implementation of AI.

News List