AI Chips

Xpeng is aggressively expanding beyond EVs, unveiling a new humanoid robot and planning a robotaxi service launch next year. The robotaxis will utilize internally developed AI chips with substantial computing power, supported by Alibaba’s mapping expertise. Initial applications for the humanoid robot will focus on roles like tour guides. This move positions Xpeng against Tesla as a broader technology firm and reflects an industry trend towards integrating AI for new revenue streams in autonomous mobility.

President Trump indicated Nvidia’s advanced AI chips, particularly the “super duper chip” (GB200 Grace Blackwell), could be discussed with President Xi. Trump claimed US chip technology is a decade ahead of competitors. This comes amid export controls restricting Nvidia’s advanced chips to China, and a recent Chinese ban citing national security. Analysts believe China’s ban may be leverage in trade talks. Nvidia was developing a China-specific chip, the B30A, but the ban complicates this. Analysts warn easing restrictions could boost China’s AI ecosystem. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang plans announcements in South Korea, potentially expanding Nvidia’s presence there.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is visiting South Korea amid geopolitical tensions, coinciding with a Trump-Xi meeting. He’ll meet with SK Group and Samsung executives to discuss HBM supply, crucial for Nvidia’s AI systems. The trip follows Nvidia’s global infrastructure deals. Huang’s potential meeting with Trump raises questions about Nvidia’s future in China, especially concerning Blackwell chip exports, given Beijing’s push for domestic alternatives. Nvidia’s situation highlights the intertwining of technology, trade, and US-China relations.

Nvidia’s stock surged, making it the first company to surpass a $5 trillion market cap. This growth is fueled by its dominance in AI, with anticipated $500 billion in AI chip orders and plans to build supercomputers for the U.S. government. A $1 billion investment in Nokia aims to advance 6G technology. This AI-driven market rally, also boosting Apple and Microsoft, raises concerns about a potential bubble cautioned by the IMF and Bank of England and the criticality of Nvidia maintaining its technical lead.

Key takeaways: Amazon plans significant workforce reduction of 14,000 citing AI integration. Qualcomm challenges Nvidia in AI chips with energy-efficient solutions. Treasury Secretary reveals Fed Chair nominee shortlist amidst FOMC meeting. iRobot shares plummet as acquisition deal collapses. Halloween costs rise due to tariffs. Airbnb deploys anti-party tech. Bill Gates emphasizes balancing climate action with human welfare.

ASML anticipates a significant decline in China sales for 2026, despite overall net sales projected to match or exceed 2025 levels. This guidance follows concerns about ASML’s growth trajectory. While Q3 net sales fell short of expectations, net profit slightly beat estimates. Geopolitical tensions and export restrictions impact ASML, but analysts remain bullish, citing AI chip foundry expansion and China’s semiconductor efforts as long-term growth drivers. Stronger smartphone/PC sales and AI-driven memory growth also favor ASML.

US stocks experienced a volatile day, closing mixed. Initial optimism about potential US-China trade de-escalation faded after Trump threatened action on cooking oil. Powell hinted at a possible end to Fed tightening. Major bank earnings exceeded expectations. Oracle will use AMD’s AI chips, diversifying from Nvidia. Trump is credited for brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Singapore is investigating AI computing firm Megaspeed, an Nvidia customer, for potentially helping Chinese companies evade U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors. The U.S. Commerce Department is also reportedly investigating Megaspeed. These probes focus on Nvidia’s oversight of its AI chip sales to China. Concerns exist about loopholes in export controls, use of Southeast Asian data centers, and a black market for smuggled chips. Malaysia now requires permits for Nvidia chip exports. The case highlights the balance between economic interests, national security, and global competition.

Cerebras CEO Andrew Feldman addressed the withdrawal of the company’s IPO registration, citing significant improvements in the business since the initial filing. A refiling with updated financials and strategy is planned, reflecting a transformation and expansion into cloud services for AI models. Cerebras secured $1.1B in pre-IPO funding. Cerebras aims to compete with Nvidia by offering high-performance wafer-scale engines (WSE) for AI, claiming superior computational density and memory bandwidth, especially for large-scale AI models.

At Huawei Connect 2025, Huawei revealed its Ascend chip roadmap, including the 950, 960, and 970 series for AI and HPC, challenging NVIDIA’s dominance. Despite semiconductor manufacturing challenges, Huawei focuses on domestic design, proprietary tech, and open-source strategies. New Ascend chips promise performance leaps with enhanced interconnects. Huawei’s SuperPoD and SuperCluster strategy, powered by UnifiedBus 2.0 (an open protocol), aims to provide scalable, high-performance computing, expanding into general-purpose computing with Kunpeng 950 processors and TaiShan SuperPod. Huawei claims significant performance advantages over competitors.