Taiwan's Technology Community Buzzes: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Computex
That time of year when Taiwan's technology community buzzes slightly more loudly, thanks especially to the presence of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang in town around the time of the Computex exhibition. Beyond business talks, his visits typically encompass a now-infamous dinner that brings together some of Taiwan's leading tech players.
Dinner, A Couple of Mementos, And Gigantic Plans for AI
This year's dinner was particularly noteworthy. Coming as NVIDIA had only announced its vision for the future at Computex 2025, Jensen's sit-downs with Taiwanese partners are instrumental in defining what is to come. The evening, a highlight of the event, found him sharing a table with top brass from industry leaders such as TSMC, MediaTek, and Quanta. Being his usual self, Jensen wasn't merely confined to high-level deliberations; he was spotted by Taiwan Economic Daily at a neighborhood eatery, even mingling with the media and reportedly distributing free food and drinks.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang with Taiwanese executives
During his conversation with TSMC's Chairman CC Wei, Jensen dropped a hint of a busy schedule in the offing for the chip manufacturer. It seems the demand for AI technology is far from going away, with NVIDIA seeing a surge in interest not only from the usual Big Tech players, but also from emerging markets like Middle Eastern corporations. Jensen also reiterated strong commitment from NVIDIA to Taiwan, including discussions of opening enormous data centers there, labeling it as a key part of the company's future.
Surprisingly, he also mentioned that NVIDIA is continuing to work with their Chinese partners, suggesting there is a "new solution" on the horizon. The Taiwanese press drew a picture of an earthy leader, noting how Jensen spent considerable time talking with the public and answering questions, even distributing souvenirs. It's this kind of personalized touch that most individuals feel has enabled NVIDIA to attain their remarkable success.
For the impatient waiting to hear it from the horse's mouth, Jensen Huang's Computex 2025 keynote is around the corner, and rest assured, the tech world will be keeping an eye out.
AMD Champions TSMC's 2nm, But Keeps Options Open
In other news from the semiconductors, meanwhile, AMD is making a big noise about TSMC's 2nm process technology arriving. One of the first to make use of it, AMD has dubbed TSMC the winner of the 2nm race and strongly suggested that no other foundry is anywhere close.
EPYC Venice: Riding the 2nm Wave
The battle for the future generation of chip manufacturing is fierce with Samsung and Intel also working hard. While others are considering several foundry partners, AMD does seem to have confidence in TSMC's capabilities at least in the near future. In a recent interview, an AMD Senior Vice President said TSMC's 2nm node is the better option.
This is not hyperbole. AMD announced weeks back that it would be the first to use TSMC's 2nm node, and CEO Lisa Su even visited the Arizona facility to make the official announcement. This new process will power AMD's next-gen EPYC Venice server CPUs, which are set for release next year. Clearly, the company is putting its money on this new node to deliver best-in-industry performance and efficiency.
AMD's datacenter segment is already witnessing strong growth, 57% in the first quarter of 2025, and they're planning to grow even more with new products such as the EPYC 4005 "Grado" server CPUs for the mid-to-low end segment.
Not an Exclusive Relationship
But while defending TSMC, AMD's SVP left the door open to other foundries. He said AMD is always talking to players who can provide "best services to customers." That means that while TSMC is their top choice in their minds now, AMD is not limited by a single partnership deal. If another foundry, like Samsung, can deliver strong results, they might just be contacted with future business.
