The ongoing competition between the United States and China in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has captured global attention, yet the recent Computex conference underscored Taiwan’s significant position in the tech sector.
The 2025 edition of this prominent Asian technology event did not unveil groundbreaking innovations like last year’s presentation by Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, who revealed a long-term strategy for AI chip development. Nevertheless, it attracted considerable interest as industry leaders assess the implications of Washington’s efforts to limit technological advancements in Beijing following the introduction of DeepSeek.
Key insights from Computex 2025 include:
Consumer AI Development Timeline Extended
This year’s discussions made few references to consumer technology. In 2024, Qualcomm emphasized AI’s potential to improve daily life, declaring a future without the need for laptop chargers. However, this time, the focus pivoted towards enterprise applications of AI.
Foxconn, renowned for assembling a significant share of the world’s iPhones, utilized its first keynote to present its ambitious plans for heavy-duty AI, including enhancements in urban infrastructure, robotics in manufacturing, and advances in electric vehicle design. There were, however, no announcements aimed at consumer interests.
Asustek Computer shared a cautious perspective regarding the potential for AI-powered PCs. Co-CEO Samson Hu expressed that these devices might take an additional year or two to achieve mainstream status, citing immature software development and new tariffs imposed by the US that could hinder growth. He mentioned that Asus might need to raise prices in the US by up to 10 percent in response to these tariffs.
Impact of DeepSeek on AI
The introduction of DeepSeek in January significantly reshaped the AI landscape, showcasing China’s advancements and challenging previous assumptions about computing requirements.
Huang was among the few industry leaders to openly address this change, acknowledging China’s exceptional capabilities in software development and the resources it has to close any technological gaps.
DeepSeek has also popularized reasoning models, necessitating increased computational resources. “Now, reasoning models aren’t just a single computation; they require hundreds,” Huang informed reporters. “DeepSeek has escalated the demand for computing resources by an order of magnitude ranging from 100 to 1,000 times.”
The Chinese Tech Landscape
Headlines focused on Nvidia’s precarious position amid ongoing US chip restrictions aimed at limiting China’s technological advancements. This became a focal point during the conference, where Huang described these measures as a “failure” and urged the US to reconsider its stance.
He warned that if the US continues to restrict Nvidia’s operations in China, domestic companies, including Huawei, are poised to seize the opportunity. “These local firms are highly skilled and motivated. The export controls have only strengthened their commitment and received significant governmental backing,” Huang stated.
This sentiment resonates with key decision-makers in Washington, although the Trump administration has consistently intensified measures directed at China.
Taiwanese executives observed significant activities, such as Huawei’s AI developer summit held concurrently, where the company promoted Ascend chips intended to rival Nvidia’s products. Additionally, Xiaomi announced the development of its 3-nanometer mobile chip aimed at competing with Qualcomm’s offerings.
Strengthening Taiwanese Partnerships
Intel’s new leadership has actively sought to rebuild relationships with Taiwanese partners after previous concerns voiced by the former CEO regarding Taiwan’s semiconductor supremacy.
Lip-Bu Tan commended local supply chain partners during a company event in Taipei celebrating Intel’s 40th anniversary.
Nvidia also took the opportunity to express gratitude to its Taiwanese collaborators. SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son, although maintaining a low profile, was present at the event, further underscoring the importance of these partnerships.
Concerns Over Datacenter Demand
Despite the myriad discussions on technology, little was said about whether the market has overestimated the need for datacenters. The volatility of tech stocks, including Nvidia, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft, in 2025 has partially stemmed from this uncertainty.
Nonetheless, the majority of attendees benefit from investment in the infrastructure supporting datacenters and AI development. Huang reiterated the massive financial commitment to AI infrastructure, stating, “We are several hundred billion dollars deep into a buildout that could reach tens of trillions in value.”
© 2025 Bloomberg LP
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
