Semiconductor News 20251009

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1. Samsung to Compete with NVIDIA-SK Hynix Alliance by Supplying HBM4 for AMD MI450 Samsung is expected to supply HBM4 memory for AMD’s next-generation AI accelerator MI450. The deal is part of a larger deal with OpenAI, which will counter the alliance between NVIDIA and SK Hynix, the leading AI chip supplier, and could reshape the competitive structure of the AI memory market. This comes amidst OpenAI’s move to drive DRAM demand and accelerate HBM expansion among the top three.
2. NVIDIA to Invest up to $2 Billion in Elon Musk’s xAI NVIDIA is reportedly funding an investment round of up to $2 billion (about 28.5 trillion won) in Elon Musk’s AI company xAI as part of its AI infrastructure expansion strategy.NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, commenting on AMD’s offer of a 10% stake in OpenAI for an unfinished product, said, “Smart, maybe,” suggesting fierce competition in the AI chip market.
3. TSMC 2nm Wafer Prices to Increase 10-20%, Much Lower than Initial Concerns TSMC’s 2nm process wafer prices will reportedly increase only 10% to 20% over the 3nm process, much lower than the previously rumored 50% increase. This is said to allow customers who were concerned about cost increases to breathe a sigh of relief. In addition, price increases for 3-7nm are also expected to settle into the single digits by 2026.
4. Amkor BeginsConstruction of Advanced Packaging/TestingCampus in Arizona, U.S. Semiconductor packaging company Amkor has begun construction of an advanced packaging campus in Arizona to fill a critical gap in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. Arizona is undergoing a major investment in domestically produced semiconductors with the aim of becoming the “Second Silicon Valley,” with TSMC and Intel strengthening their partnerships with universities as a talent development hub.
5. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Says TSMCShould Rely on TSMC for Chip Capacity Expansion Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said the tech giant should rely on TSMC for chip capacity expansion rather than on Intel for the foreseeable future. This again demonstrates TSMC’s technological superiority and reliability in its choice of chip supply sources in anticipation of the insatiable demand for AI infrastructure.
6. Qualcomm Acquires Arduino to Strengthen AI Development and Robot Ecosystem Qualcomm has acquired Italian microcontroller company Arduino. The acquisition is intended to make AI development more accessible and accelerate the proliferation of AI capabilities in robotics and IoT devices by making Arduino’s hardware the foundation of the company’s edge AI stack.
7. AI Risks Replacing About 100 Million Jobs in Next 10 Years A report by the U.S. Senate has warned that the rapid spread of AI technology could displace about 100 million jobs over the next decade. The warning was raised as a critical issue that policy makers should pay attention to regarding the broad and serious impact of AI technologies on labor markets and social structures.
8. Korean and U.S. DRAM Giants Suspend Pricing for a Week, Signaling Market Volatility Major Korean and U.S. DRAM giants have reportedly suspended pricing for a week. Memory module makers have followed suit, suggesting high market volatility and centralized pricing power by major suppliers amid tight supply and rising prices in the memory chip market due to AI demand.
9. China Purchases Approximately $40 Billion Worthof Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Despite Export Restrictions U.S. lawmakers have said that China has purchased approximately $40 billion worth of semiconductor manufacturing equipment despite strict export controls in place. This fact highlights the challenges facing U.S. efforts to stop the international proliferation of advanced technologies and illustrates the difficulties of managing supply chains in the face of ongoing geopolitical conflict.
10. SoftBank G to Acquire ABB’s Robotics Business for 7.7TrillionWon SoftBank Group is reportedly moving to acquire ABB’s robotics business for 7.7 trillion won (approx. 800 billion yen) in order to strengthen its entry into the AI robot development race. This is a huge strategic investment by SoftBank in the AI robotics market, where competition between the U.S. and China is heating up, with the aim of acquiring a leadership position in the next-generation industry that combines AI and robotics.

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