ComputInsights #5 – Weekly Computing Market Insights

Market Growth

AI-Driven Advances Reshape the Semiconductor Industry

At the AI and Semiconductors Conference (AISC) 2025 in Hanoi, experts highlighted the symbiotic relationship between AI and semiconductors, with AI enhancing chip manufacturing through automation, defect detection, and production optimization. Researchers from Google and Warwick University discussed breakthroughs such as AI-driven chip design, Bayesian theory applications, and circuit neural networks, all aimed at improving efficiency and bridging the software-hardware gap. As AI and semiconductor technologies evolve together, they are set to drive innovation across industries, from healthcare to industrial production.

DRAM Prices Rise as PC and Smartphone Demand Soars

The DRAM market is experiencing a strong recovery, driven by rising demand from the PC and smartphone industries, along with China’s subsidy policies boosting sales, according to DRAMeXchange. Spot prices for DDR4 and DDR5 memory have surged, with DDR5 increasing by 6.6% over the past month, prompting analysts at DS Investment Securities to revise fixed transaction price forecasts upward. As major tech firms like AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA prepare to launch new products, further demand for server DRAM is expected, with Samsung Securities noting that the memory market’s outlook is shifting in a more optimistic direction.

M&A and Investments 

Google Teams Up with MediaTek for Next-Gen AI Chips

Google is reportedly joining forces with Taiwanese semiconductor giant MediaTek to develop the next generation of its Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), aiming to enhance AI computing efficiency. This partnership is driven by MediaTek’s cost-effective chip pricing and its strong ties with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), ensuring Google access to advanced semiconductor technologies. By diversifying its AI chip development strategy beyond Broadcom, Google seeks to strengthen its AI capabilities, reduce reliance on other manufacturers, and expand its cloud-based AI offerings.

Company-Specific News

Siemens Expands PAVE360 SDV Development to AMD Hardware on Azure

Siemens Digital Industries Software has made its PAVE360 technology for Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) development available on AMD Radeon PRO V710 GPUs and AMD EPYC CPUs running on Microsoft Azure. This expansion enhances simulation accuracy, AI model execution, and infotainment visualization, offering users greater flexibility in cloud-based SDV development. By enabling system-aware validation, PAVE360 helps detect software and hardware defects early, reducing costly recalls and potential brand damage.

Imec Develops Thermally Stable FinFET-Based DRAM Peripheral Transistors

Imec has developed a FinFET-based technology platform for DRAM peripheral transistors that enhances thermal stability and performance, supporting sub-10-nm DRAM generations, according to research conducted at the Belgium-based innovation hub. This advancement builds on previous planar high-k/metal-gate transistor solutions, ensuring the transistors can endure extreme anneal temperatures of 550-600°C while maintaining power efficiency and precise functionality in address decoders, sense amplifiers, and output buffers. As the demand for high-performance memory grows, imec is also investigating wafer bonding techniques to integrate peripheral transistors separately, laying the groundwork for future DRAM scaling breakthroughs.

Huawei Advances in Self-Sufficient Computing Amid Tech War

Huawei is accelerating efforts to replace American hardware and software in its personal computers, signaling a strategic shift amid ongoing US sanctions. The Chinese tech giant’s Kirin X90 chip, developed by its HiSilicon division, recently received national security certification, positioning Huawei to move away from Intel processors and Microsoft’s Windows operating system. As the company plans to launch PCs running its HarmonyOS later this year, it aims to strengthen its presence in China’s growing PC market while reducing reliance on Western technology.