Semiconductor News 20260312

In today’s semiconductor news, the battle for supremacy in next-generation technologies against the backdrop of special demand for AI and soaring component prices due to severe supply shortages are clearly evident: Nvidia is auditing Samsung’s HBM4 packaging technology and AMD CEO Lisa Su is visiting Korea to ensure a stable supply of AI chips. Alliances between giant companies are gaining momentum. There has also been a series of huge investments in technological innovation, including the establishment of a $5 billion AI memory development center by Applied Materials and others, and the joint development of sub-1 nano technology by IBM. At the same time, intense upward pressure on costs is shaking the entire supply chain, with NAND prices soaring approximately 50 percent overnight and plans to raise prices for analog semiconductors.

Main News

1. Nvidia Audits Samsung’s HBM4 Packaging for Next-Generation Rubin GPUs
   Nvidia is reportedly auditing Samsung Electronics’ HBM4 packaging technology for the production of its next-generation AI chips, Rubin GPUs With demand for semiconductors for AI infrastructure rapidly increasing, Nvidia is believed to be aiming to strengthen its mass production system for next-generation products by reducing its excessive dependence on TSMC and deepening cooperation with Samsung in order to secure a stable supply network.
2. Applied Materials and Three Other Companies Partner on $5 Billion AI Memory R&D Hub
   Applied Materials, a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer, announced today that it has partnered with memory giants Micron Technology and SK Hynix to drive U.S. innovation in next-generation AI memory solutions. to drive innovation in the U.S. for next-generation AI memory solutions. The project, which will be funded at a total of $5 billion, will accelerate the development of HBM and next-generation DRAM, which are critical to improving the performance of AI infrastructures and enhancing the competitiveness of the semiconductor ecosystem in the United States.
3. China’s IC Exports Reach RMB304.7 Billion in January-February 2026, Up Nearly 70 Percent
   China’s integrated circuit (IC) exports reached RMB304.7 billion in January-February 2026, up nearly 70 percent from the same period last year, according to a new report. With strict U.S. export restrictions limiting the development of cutting-edge processes, Chinese semiconductor manufacturers are focusing on expanding production capacity for mature processes (legacy nodes), driven in part by rising AI-related demand, which is rapidly increasing China’s global presence in the mature process market.
4. IBM and Lam Research Collaborate to Promote Sub-1 Nano Logic Sc aling
   IBM and Lam Research, a leading semiconductor manufacturing equipment company, announced a strategic collaboration to promote the scaling of next-generation logic semiconductors below 1 nanometer. The two companies will work together to jointly develop new materials and process technologies for semiconductor manufacturing as the physical limits approach. Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to create higher-performance, more power-efficient chips that will be essential for future AI and high-performance computing.
5. NAND prices soared nearly 50 percent overnight, highlighting severe supply shortages
   Phison’s CEO expressed strong caution about severe supply shortages in the semiconductor industry as a whole, revealing that the price of NAND flash memory soared nearly 50 percent overnight. The explosive growth in AI demand has led memory manufacturers to focus their production capacity on high-value-added products such as HBM, resulting in an extremely tight supply of memory for general-purpose storage. This situation threatens the stability of the entire industry in terms of both funding and inventory.
6. AMD CEO Lisa Su to Visit Korea for First Time to Discuss Cooperation in AI Semiconductors with Samsung Leaders
   AMD CEO Lisa Su is reportedly visiting Korea for the first time and is likely to meet with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-young and others To compete with Nvidia, which holds a dominant share of the AI semiconductor market AMD is rushing to strengthen its partnership for the development and stable supply of next-generation AI chips. It remains to be seen if a collaboration with Samsung, which has both foundry and memory technology, will lead to advanced packaging and HBM supply.
7. Texas Instruments Plans to Raise Analog Semiconductor Prices
   Analog semiconductor giant Texas Instruments is reportedly planning to raise product prices. The rising price of analog chips, which are widely used in automobiles, industrial equipment, and home appliances, will drive up the cost of manufacturing a wide range of electronics products, under the shadow of AI infrastructure investment. This is a factor that will push up the cost of manufacturing a wide range of electronics products.
8. TSMC to Develop “PDK” Design Information to Gain Leadership in Optoelectronic Convergence Technology
   TSMC, the world’s largest foundry, has begun full-scale development of its PDK (Process Design Kit), the fundamental information required for chip design, to gain leadership in the field of optoelectronic convergence, which is expected to become the next generation of semiconductor technology. In order to break through the barriers of massive data processing and increasing power consumption in AI data centers, TSMC is strongly promoting the commercialization of silicon photonics technology that realizes ultra high-speed transmission by replacing electrical signals with optical signals and building an ecosystem.
9. PFN and GMO Group Establish Joint Venture to Enhance Security of Domestically Produced AI Semiconductors
   Preferred Networks and GMO Internet Group have established a new joint venture to support the security infrastructure of domestically produced AI semiconductors and generated AI. With the increasing availability of domestic AI computing resources and development of proprietary architectures, there is an urgent need to build secure infrastructure to enhance data confidentiality and resistance to cyber attacks. This is an important move that brings together Japan’s technological capabilities to establish a secure and reliable AI ecosystem.
10. ASE Begins Construction of AI Advanced Packaging Facility in Southern Taiwan, to be Completed in 2028
    ASE, the world’s largest semiconductor assembly and test company, has begun construction of an advanced packaging facility for AI chips in southern Taiwan, with completion scheduled for the second quarter of 2028. With the rapid spread of generative AI, demand for advanced packaging technologies such as chiplet integration is exploding, and the company aims to significantly expand its production capacity through a massive investment to alleviate supply chain pressures and secure market share.

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