Inside Taiwan

KimFion Lab
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AI-powered insights on how Taiwan’s industries, startups, and workforce mindset are shaping the future of global business. New episodes every Monday to Thursday, weekly.

  1. 1日前

    Inside Taiwan 2025: The Year That Changed the Physical Economy and What Comes Next in 2026

    Inside Taiwan 2025: The Year That Changed the Physical Economy and What Comes Next in 2026 In this New Year special, Inside Taiwan reviews how AI became a physical economy in 2025, shaped by chips, energy, capital, and geopolitics. Based on signals across the supply chain, we examine the defining questions of 2025 and present ten predictions that will shape AI infrastructure, markets, and the global economy in 2026. Q1. Why was 2025 the year AI became physical rather than theoretical?Because demand hit real world limits. In 2025, AI growth was constrained by fabs, power grids, and advanced packaging capacity. The market stopped asking what AI could do and started asking how fast infrastructure could be built. Q2. Was the AI boom in 2025 a bubble or a new industrial revolution?The supply chain suggests an industrial shift. Nvidia reached a roughly five trillion dollar valuation and TSMC capacity was fully utilized. Analysts noted there were no idle GPUs. The risk was not unused infrastructure but overoptimistic timelines for returns. Q3. Why did energy become a defining issue for AI in 2025?AI computing is electricity intensive. OpenAI warned US policymakers that roughly 100 gigawatts of new power per year would be needed to sustain growth. Tech firms began pursuing nuclear and dedicated power deals as grid limits became visible. Q4. Why did geopolitics reshape the semiconductor supply chain in 2025?Supply chains split along strategic lines. The US and allies pushed secure chip ecosystems while China accelerated domestic alternatives. This marked the rise of Sovereign AI where nations seek control over compute, data, and models. Q5. What are the most important trends to watch in 2026?Key signals include the start of 2 nanometer production at TSMC, shortages in high bandwidth memory, wider use of enterprise AI agents, growth of custom AI chips, nuclear powered data centers, packaging capacity as a bottleneck, robotics adoption, an intense talent war, and a clear ROI reckoning. Q6. What is the big lesson for the global economy entering 2026?AI is now a physical industry. It requires steel, power, water, silicon, and decades of trust built into supply chains. The pace has shifted from internet speed to industrial speed, slower but more durable, and capital intensive. Inside Taiwan will continue tracking these signals in 2026 as this supercycle enters its next phase. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan to explore the ten trends shaping the AI driven global economy.chain. New episodes every Monday to Thursday, weekly.

    13 分鐘

  2. 3日前

    Why Is Capital, Not Chips Alone, Deciding the AI Race in 2026?

    Why Is Capital, Not Chips Alone, Deciding the AI Race in 2026? Inside Taiwan explains why the AI race is entering a capital-driven phase. Taiwan’s record equity rally, TSMC’s 2-nanometer production, a surge of Asian AI IPOs, shifting US technology controls, and an escalating global talent war show that capital allocation, not fabrication alone, is becoming the decisive force in AI leadership. Q1. Why does Taiwan’s record stock rally signal a capital-led AI cycle?The Taiex closed above 28,960 points in 2025, up 25.7 percent, reflecting investor confidence that AI leadership now translates directly into equity value and long-term capital returns. Q2. Why is TSMC’s 2-nanometer milestone also a capital signal?The 2-nanometer node delivers 10 to 15 percent higher performance or 25 to 30 percent lower power use, validating massive upfront capex and reinforcing investor belief in sustained returns from advanced manufacturing. Q3. Why are AI and chip IPOs accelerating in Asian capital markets?More than six technology firms sought roughly US$2.15 billion in a single week, showing how regional markets are being used to fund AI R&D and scale without relying on US capital. Q4. Why do US licensing rules matter for AI capital flows?Annual licenses for advanced equipment reduce supply chain shocks while increasing regulatory uncertainty, forcing memory and logic players to rethink long-term capital allocation and geographic diversification. Q5. Why is AI talent now one of the largest capital expenditures?Leading AI firms report average stock-based compensation around US$1.5 million per employee, indicating that talent acquisition has become a balance-sheet decision, not just an HR issue. Q6. Why will revenue-driving AI models outperform cost-saving AI in 2026?AI that expands revenue potential attracts capital more efficiently than AI that only cuts costs, shifting investor focus toward business models that multiply growth rather than optimize expenses. If capital is now the true bottleneck, who will deploy it most intelligently in the AI race?Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan for a capital-first view of the world’s most valuable supply chain.

    10 分鐘

  3. 4日前

    Why Is the AI Gold Rush Forcing a Global Reckoning on Profits, Power, and Payback?

    Why Is the AI Gold Rush Forcing a Global Reckoning on Profits, Power, and Payback? Inside Taiwan examines how the AI boom is entering a new phase of financial discipline. From trillion-dollar data center bets and rising debt to high-stakes M&A and next-generation chips, this episode explains why investors are shifting from hype to hard questions about cash flow, returns, and control across the global AI supply chain. Q: Why are investors questioning the AI gold rush now?A: Hyperscalers added about USD 121 billion in new debt this year, roughly four times the five-year average, according to Yardeni Research. AI infrastructure spending is outrunning near-term cash flow, forcing markets to demand clearer paths to profit. Q: Why is infrastructure suddenly the focus of AI capital?A: Companies are racing to secure existing data center capacity instead of waiting years to build. SoftBank is buying infrastructure assets to accelerate deployment, while firms like BlackRock, Microsoft, Blackstone, and Amazon are locking up capacity to control the foundation of AI growth. Q: What does recent M&A activity say about AI payback pressure?A: Large deals are no longer moving stock prices. When Meta agreed to acquire Manus for roughly USD 2 to 3 billion, its shares barely reacted. Markets now want evidence of monetization, not just user growth or ambition. Q: How is Nvidia using capital to defend its position?A: NVIDIA is spending aggressively across layers. It announced a USD 20 billion acquisition to strengthen AI inference and took a USD 5 billion stake in Intel to secure optional future manufacturing capacity beyond Taiwan. Q: How are governments reshaping the money flow in chips?A: China now requires at least 50 percent domestic equipment in new fab expansions, accelerating investment into local suppliers. At the same time, the United States is shifting to annual licenses for memory makers like Samsung and SK Hynix, increasing uncertainty and compliance costs. Q: Why does TSMC still anchor the economics of AI?A: TSMC confirmed its 2-nanometer fab in Kaohsiung will enter volume production in late 2025. The new nanosheet architecture delivers up to 15 percent performance gains or 30 percent power savings, reinforcing TSMC’s pricing power and its role as the most trusted supplier for advanced AI chips. The AI revolution is no longer just about bigger models. It is about who controls capital, infrastructure, and margins across the stack. The next winners will be those who can prove returns while scaling power, chips, and distribution at the same time. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan to understand where the money is moving next in the world’s most valuable supply chain.

    10 分鐘

  4. 5日前

    Why Is the AI Revolution Rewriting the World From Silicon to Power Grids and Reshaping Global Capital?

    Why Is the AI Revolution Rewriting the World From Silicon to Power Grids and Reshaping Global Capital? Inside Taiwan examines a structural transformation reshaping the global economy. From advanced chip pricing at TSMC to the rise of AI agents and the rebuilding of physical infrastructure, this episode explains why AI is not just software innovation but an end to end reconstruction of the industrial stack. Q: Why is TSMC at the center of the current AI transformation?A: TSMC’s advanced 3nm and 5nm capacity is nearly fully booked. Reports indicate a series of price increases starting in 2026. This marks a shift from falling chip prices to a new phase where both volume and pricing rise together. Q: What is driving TSMC’s new pricing power?A: Demand from AI leaders like NVIDIA and AMD has exceeded supply. Access to advanced chips now determines who can compete in next generation AI development. Q: What does a major earthquake reveal about the AI supply chain?A: A 7.0 magnitude quake briefly halted fabrication but production resumed within hours. This highlights both Taiwan’s resilience and the global risk of concentrated semiconductor manufacturing. Q: What is the electro industrial stack?A: Coined by an a16z investor, it refers to the physical layer powering AI. Batteries, power electronics, motors, cooling systems, transmission infrastructure, and robotics that allow software to operate in the real world. Q: Why are investors shifting away from power generation stocks?A: Electricity alone is not the bottleneck. Transmission, cooling, backup power, and grid infrastructure are now the critical constraints in scaling AI. Q: What talent bottleneck is emerging in Taiwan?A: Government data shows a green jobs gap of nearly 30,000 roles. About 21 percent are in semiconductor and tech sectors requiring skills in carbon accounting and renewable energy integration. Q: How is geopolitics complicating AI development?A: While advanced chips face export restrictions, developers increasingly adopt lower cost open source AI models. Hardware can be controlled but software adoption remains fluid. Q: What is NVIDIA’s long term advantage?A: Since 2016, NVIDIA has improved AI energy efficiency by roughly 10,000 times. Its strategy focuses on flexible architectures that allow developers to explore new ideas rather than optimizing for a single model. Q: What does this mean for individuals and organizations?A: AI lowers the barrier to expertise. Everyone now has access to a personal tutor and execution partner, fundamentally changing how work, learning, and decision making scale. The AI revolution is not a single breakthrough. It is a full stack reconstruction from silicon to software, from grids to talent. The winners will master the entire system, not just the algorithm. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan to understand how this transformation is unfolding in real time.

    9 分鐘

  5. 17/12/2025

    Why Is Taiwan the Center of a New AI Power Struggle Between the US and China?

    Why Is Taiwan the Center of a New AI Power Struggle Between the US and China? Inside Taiwan this week tracks how the global AI race is reshaping geopolitics, capital flows, and supply chains. From a new US-led silicon alliance to China’s EUV push, surging AI IPOs, record Taiwan exports, and rising climate costs, this episode connects the dots behind the numbers that now define the world’s most critical technology hub. Q. Why is the US building a new tech alliance around semiconductors?A. The US and allies launched Pax Silica to secure the full AI supply chain, from minerals to chips to infrastructure, aiming to reduce coercive dependencies and protect compute power as a strategic asset. Q. Why is Taiwan considered essential to this alliance?A. US officials called Taiwan essential to the global AI supply chain, noting its dominance in advanced logic chips and packaging that underpin AI compute. Q. Why is chipmaking equipment entering a new upcycle?A. Global semiconductor equipment sales are projected to hit 126 billion dollars in 2026 and 135 billion in 2027, reflecting a multi-year AI-driven capacity expansion. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan to understand how this AI power struggle is reshaping markets, geopolitics, and the future of the supply chain.

    10 分鐘

  6. 16/12/2025

    Why Is the Global AI Power Game Forcing a Rethink of Chips, Alliances, and Returns?

    Inside Taiwan examines how the AI race is reshaping chips, geopolitics, energy, and corporate returns. From China’s pivot away from compliant GPUs to talent wars, energy deals, and uneven AI profitability, this episode explains why Taiwan remains central to the global AI supply chain. Q: Why is China discouraging purchases of compliant AI chips?A: China is prioritizing long-term self-sufficiency. Reports show approvals for compliant accelerators are being restricted while roughly $70 billion is redirected to domestic semiconductor development. Q: What does this shift mean for global GPU suppliers?A: It risks losing a market once estimated near $10 billion annually, accelerating the split between US-led and China-led AI hardware ecosystems. Q: Why are energy companies signing decades-long AI power deals?A: AI data centers need guaranteed, massive electricity supply. Long-term renewable contracts provide price stability for operators and secure returns for energy producers. Q: Are companies already making money from AI?A: Not widely. Surveys indicate only 15 percent see margin improvement, and just 5 percent report significant value today, highlighting the gap between hype and execution. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan to understand the forces reshaping the world’s most valuable supply chain.

    11 分鐘

  7. 15/12/2025

    Why Is Wall Street Nervous About AI Just as Taiwan Powers the Next Chip Surge?

    In this episode, Inside Taiwan examines why markets are questioning AI valuations even as hardware innovation accelerates. From TAIEX volatility and pressure on TSMC to Google’s deepening partnership with MediaTek, Nvidia’s pivot to co-packaged optics, and emerging AI strategies in Japan and China, the episode explains where AI value is consolidating and why execution now matters more than hype. Why did Taiwan’s stock market suddenly pull back on AI names? TAIEX fell about 1.17 percent in one session. TSMC dropped over 2 percent. Foreign investors sold roughly USD 1.6 billion, reflecting concern over AI payback periods rather than demand.  Why are investors questioning AI spending now instead of earlier? The question shifted from “How much are you investing in AI?” to “When does cash flow return?” Capital intensity and ROI timing are now under scrutiny. Why is MediaTek becoming central to cloud AI chips?MediaTek is designing core elements of Google’s next-generation TPUs. CoWoS orders with TSMC reportedly double to 20,000 wafers annually, potentially exceeding 150,000 by 2027. What should investors and operators watch next?Real business models. AI-driven commerce, enterprise deployment, and even advertising designed for AI agents will define the next phase. If you want context, numbers, and execution-level insight beyond headlines, listen to the latest episode of Inside Taiwan.

    10 分鐘

  8. 11/12/2025

    Why Is the AI Boom Creating a Physical Race That Money Alone Cannot Buy?

    Why Is the AI Boom Creating a Physical Race That Money Alone Cannot Buy? This Inside Taiwan episode explains how the AI boom is reshaping global supply chains. It covers Taiwan’s overtime surge, record exports, shifting trade flows, Gudeng’s strategic decisions, South Korea’s national foundry plan, China’s demand for advanced processors, the rise of SMRs, and the origin story of the ASML and TSMC partnership. Q1. Why are advanced component makers hesitant to expand production in the US?Gudeng Precision says building in the US is premature due to high costs and limited ecosystem density. The company notes that you cannot create a world class supply chain by building a few fabs. Taiwan’s Hsinchu model reflects decades of collaboration and specialized talent. Q2. Why does the ASML and TSMC origin story prove that ecosystems cannot be bought?In 1989 ASML failed its first trial at TSMC and lost to Nikon. Persistence from Hermes engineers and ASML’s problem solving eventually earned a second chance at Fab 2. The partnership grew through trust, local expertise, and decades of collaboration rather than capital alone. Q3. Why does the ecosystem define Taiwan’s long term advantage in the AI era?Numbers show momentum, but relationships explain leadership. Taiwan’s supplier networks, engineering culture, and shared problem solving create an ecosystem that nations cannot replicate quickly. Machines can be purchased. Capabilities must be earned. Listen to the full episode of Inside Taiwan for deeper signals shaping the world’s most valuable supply chain.

    10 分鐘
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關於

AI-powered insights on how Taiwan’s industries, startups, and workforce mindset are shaping the future of global business. New episodes every Monday to Thursday, weekly.

資料

  • 創作者
    KimFion Lab
  • 活躍年份
    2025年 - 2026年
  • 單集
    52
  • 分級
    兒童適宜
  • 版權
    © @2025 KimFion Lab
  • 節目網站
    Inside Taiwan

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