Washington has sought in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they could be used to advance Beijing's military systems and otherwise undermine American dominance in AI.

US President Donald Trump's administration last week rescinded some export controls on advanced computing semiconductors, answering calls by countries that said they were being shut out from crucial technology needed to develop artificial intelligence.

Some US lawmakers feared the restrictions would have incentivised countries to go to China for AI chips, spurring the superpower's development of state-of-the-art technology.

But Washington also unveiled fresh guidelines warning firms that using Chinese-made high-tech AI semiconductors, specifically tech giant Huawei's Ascend chips, would put them at risk of violating US export controls.

In a statement Wednesday, Beijing's commerce ministry described the warnings as "typical unilateral bullying and protectionism, which seriously undermine the stability of the global semiconductor industry chain and supply chain".

China accused the US of "abusing export controls to suppress and contain China".

"These actions seriously harm the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and endanger China's development interests," the commerce ministry said.

It also warned that "any organization or individual that enforces or assists in enforcing such measures" could be in violation of Chinese law.

And it vowed to take "firm steps to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests" in response.

- Chips on the table -

The United States warned last week about the potential consequences of allowing US AI chips to be used for training Chinese AI models.

And those found using Huawei's Ascend chips without clearance from Washington, the guidance read, can face "substantial criminal and administrative penalties, up to and including imprisonment, fines, loss of export privileges, or other restriction".

The US commerce department said its policy was aimed at sharing American AI technology "with trusted foreign countries around the world, while keeping the technology out of the hands of our adversaries".

Previous US rules divided countries into three tiers, each with its own level of restrictions.

Top-tier countries like Japan and South Korea faced no export restrictions, while countries in the second tier, which included Mexico and Portugal, saw a cap on the chips they could receive.

Chipmakers including Nvidia and AMD lobbied against the tiered restrictions and saw their share prices rise when the Trump administration indicated it would rethink the rule.

Speaking at Taiwan's top tech show on Wednesday, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang described US export controls on AI chips to China as a "failure", since companies are using locally developed technology.

"The local companies are very, very talented and very determined, and the export control gave them the spirit, the energy and the government support to accelerate their development," Huang said.

aas-oho/je/tym

Nvidia

AMD - ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 20, 2025 - Quantum technologies are poised to transform computing, communications, and sensing, and now researchers have discovered that a naturally occurring clay could play a crucial role in making this vision more sustainable. Unlike synthetic materials that often require highly controlled laboratory conditions, this clay offers an abundant, non-toxic, and naturally quantum-active component.

"We have found a naturally occurring clay material with sought-after properties for use in quantum technology," says Professor Jon Otto Fossum from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's (NTNU) Department of Physics. This discovery means that a quantum-active material can be sourced directly from nature, potentially reducing costs and environmental impacts.

Barbara Pacakova, a researcher at NTNU's Department of Physics and the first author of the study, emphasizes the significance of this breakthrough. "What we found is essentially a quantum-active component formed by nature. It is stable, non-toxic, abundant, and appears in a structure that is already usable-especially exciting in the context of sustainable materials," she says.

The material has several critical properties essential for quantum technologies. It is practically two-dimensional, functions as a semiconductor, and exhibits antiferromagnetic behavior. These three traits are crucial for quantum devices operating at atomic scales:

Two-Dimensional Structure: Essential for miniaturized, atomic-scale devices.

Semiconducting Properties: Allows for controlled electrical conduction, foundational to modern electronics and photonics.

Antiferromagnetic Behavior: A complex form of magnetism that can be exploited for advanced computing architectures like spintronics.

While the material shows significant promise, it is not without challenges. It is not naturally antiferromagnetic at room temperature, which limits its immediate practical applications. However, Fossum remains optimistic about its potential in fields like spintronics, photonics, magnetic sensors, and neuromorphic computing.

The research was led by NTNU in collaboration with the Universidade de Sao Paulo in Brazil, the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France, and Univerzita Karlova in the Czech Republic. This diverse international team reflects the growing importance of global collaboration in cutting-edge materials science.

Research Report:Naturally occurring 2D semiconductor with antiferromagnetic ground state

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Taipei (AFP) May 21, 2025 - Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said Wednesday that US export controls on artificial intelligence chips to China had failed, with companies using locally developed cutting-edge technology.

Huang said Nvidia's share of China's AI chip market had fallen to 50 percent from nearly 95 percent at the beginning of former president Joe Biden's administration.

"The local companies are very, very talented and very determined, and the export control gave them the spirit, the energy and the government support to accelerate their development," Huang told reporters at Taiwan's top tech show, Computex.

"I think, all in all, the export control was a failure," Huang said, noting companies would use the "second best" option if they couldn't get Nvidia's chips.

Washington has sought in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they could be used to advance Beijing's military systems and otherwise undermine American dominance in AI.

US President Donald Trump's administration last week rescinded some controls, answering calls by countries that said they were being shut out from crucial technology needed to develop artificial intelligence.

Some US lawmakers feared the restrictions would have incentivised countries to go to China for AI chips, spurring the superpower's development of state-of-the-art technology.

Nvidia and other chipmakers had lobbied against the curbs.

Huang said Nvidia had written off "multiple billions of dollars" due to the export controls.

He said China's AI market would be worth $50 billion in 2026, adding "it would be a shame not to be able to enjoy that opportunity, bring home tax revenues to United States, create jobs, sustain the industry."

"China has a vibrant technology ecosystem, and it's very important to realise that China has 50 percent of the world's AI researchers, and China is incredibly good at software," Huang said.

Huang also praised China-based DeepSeek, saying it had been positive for AI infrastructure and "increased the amount of computing need by maybe 100 to 1000 times".

"That's the reason why all over the world, the AI companies are saying their GPUs are melting down," Huang said.

DeepSeek shook up the world of generative artificial intelligence with the debut of a low-cost, high-performance model that challenges the hegemony of OpenAI and other big-spending behemoths.

Several countries have questioned DeepSeek's handling of data and believe that the secretive company may be subject to the control of the Chinese government.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Taipei (AFP) May 19, 2025 - Nvidia boss Jensen Huang announced plans for Taiwan's first "AI supercomputer", as he showcased on Monday the company's latest advances in artificial intelligence.

Global chip giants have gathered in Taiwan for the island's top tech expo, Computex, as the sector grapples with the impact of US tariffs and disrupted supply chains.

Huang said Nvidia would work with Taiwanese tech giants Foxconn and TSMC as well as the government to build Taiwan's "first giant AI supercomputer here for the AI infrastructure and the AI ecosystem".

"Taiwan doesn't just build supercomputers for the world... we're also building AI for Taiwan," Huang said in a keynote address, describing the island as the "centre" of the industry.

"Having a world-class AI infrastructure in Taiwan is really important."

Taiwan-born Huang also spotlighted a further upgrade to Nvidia's Blackwell processing platform, as well as new hardware and software for robotics and "AI agents" that can perform company tasks.

And he announced a new version of Nvidia's NVLink technology, enabling customers to build semi-custom AI infrastructure.

"In 10 years time, you will look back and you will realise that AI has now integrated into everything and in fact we need AI everywhere," Huang said, wearing his trademark black leather jacket.

Computex will draw computer and chip companies from around the world to Taiwan, whose semiconductor industry is critical to the production of everything from iPhones to the servers that run ChatGPT.

Taiwan produces the bulk of the world's most advanced chips, including those needed for the most powerful AI applications and research.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon announced the company planned to expand into data centres, but he did not elaborate.

Top executives from MediaTek and Foxconn will also speak at Computex, where advances in moving AI from data centres into laptops, robots and cars are in the spotlight.

Tech expert Paul Yu told AFP the industry was at a "critical juncture" for AI hardware development.

"Over the past two and a half years, significant investment has driven rapid advances in AI technology," said Yu, of Witology Markettrend Research Institute.

He added that "2025 to 2026 will be the crucial period for transitioning AI model training into profitable applications".

- 'Taiwan to continue to thrive' -

While US tariffs were the biggest issue facing the sector, most companies at Computex "will shy away from addressing tariffs directly as the situation is too uncertain", said Eric Smith of specialist platform TechInsights.

Last month, Washington announced a national security probe into imports of semiconductor technology, which could put the industry in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's trade bazooka and inflict potentially devastating levies.

Since taking office in January, Trump has threatened hefty tariffs against many of America's biggest trade partners with the aim of forcing companies to move production to US soil.

Export-dependent Taiwan has pledged to increase investment in the United States as it seeks to avoid a 32 percent US tariff on its shipments.

But there are concerns the island could lose its dominance of the chip sector -- the so-called "silicon shield" protecting it from an invasion or blockade by China and an incentive for the United States to defend it.

TSMC, the Taiwanese contract chipmaking giant, has unveiled plans to inject an additional US$100 billion into the United States, on top of the US$65 billion already pledged.

TSMC-supplier GlobalWafers also announced plans last week to increase its US investment by US$4 billion as the Taiwanese company opened a wafer facility in the US state of Texas.

Competition is intensifying as US export restrictions on certain AI chips to China drives local players to develop their own.

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi will invest nearly US$7 billion in developing high-end smartphone chips, the firm's founder said on Monday.

Huang was optimistic on Friday when asked about the impact of tariffs on Taiwan, saying the island would "remain at the centre of the technology ecosystem".

"I fully expect Taiwan to continue to thrive... before, after, throughout," Huang told reporters.

amj-joy/dan

Nvidia

TSMC - TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY

QUALCOMM

MEDIATEK

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Beijing (AFP) May 19, 2025 - Chinese tech giant Xiaomi will invest 50 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) in developing high-end smartphone chips, the firm's founder said on Monday.

Xiaomi, which sells goods from smartphones to vacuum cleaners and EVs, is one of China's most prominent consumer electronics firms.

"Chips are the underlying core track for Xiaomi to break through in cutting-edge technology, so we will definitely make an all-out effort," founder Lei Jun said on social media, marking the company's 15th year since its establishment.

In pursuit of Xiaomi's semiconductor ambitions, the firm has developed a plan involving "at least 10 years of investment and at least 50 billion yuan", he added.

Xiaomi took initial steps into semiconductors for smartphones with the launch of the firm's first in-house chip -- the Surge S1 -- in 2017.

But the group was forced to halt production of the chip due to technical and financial obstacles, and has since refocused on other components as well as EVs.

"That is not our 'dark history'. That is the path we have travelled," Lei wrote on Monday.

Xiaomi's chip development programme has received 13.5 billion yuan in research and development funds since 2021 for a team of more than 2,500 employees, said the billionaire entrepreneur.

The announcement comes as both China and the United States seek to ensure access to the most advanced components.

"Xiaomi has always had a 'chip dream'," Lei wrote, adding, "I earnestly request everyone to give us more time and patience to support our continued exploration on this road."

A number of Chinese firms are racing to develop their own chips with the aim of freeing themselves from reliance on foreign suppliers in the face of that rivalry.

In 2023, tech giant and Xiaomi competitor Huawei unveiled a high-performance smartphone equipped with a chip that experts say would be impossible to produce without foreign technologies, raising questions about the effectiveness of US restrictions.

The move "could potentially lead to the emergence of new champions capable of competing with American companies like Qualcomm," Pascal Viaud, CEO of the consulting firm Ubik, told AFP.

Beijing has also pushed companies to reduce their dependence on foreign technologies.

Last month, Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged them to pursue "self-reliance" in the sector.

aas-pfc/oho/dhw

Xiaomi

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Taipei (AFP) May 18, 2025 - Global semiconductor chip giants will gather at Taiwan's top tech expo this week to showcase "the next frontier" for an industry dominated by artificial intelligence.

Nvidia boss Jensen Huang will make a keynote speech on Monday, the eve of Computex, as the tech sector grapples with the impact of US tariffs and disrupted supply chains.

The four-day event will draw computer and chip companies from around the world to Taiwan, whose semiconductor industry is critical to the production of everything from iPhones to the servers that run ChatGPT.

Taiwan produces the bulk of the world's most advanced chips, including those needed for the most powerful AI applications and research.

"I have many amazing announcements to make," Huang told reporters in Taipei on Friday.

"We are at the heart of the technology ecosystem and so there are many partners of ours here and we're looking forward to announcing many collaborations, many new projects, many new technologies and initiatives together."

Top executives from Qualcomm, MediaTek and Foxconn will also speak at Computex, where advances in moving AI from data centres into laptops, robots and cars will be in the spotlight.

"From Agentic AI driving smarter personal devices to Physical AI reshaping autonomy, the show maps out the next frontier," specialist research firm Counterpoint said in a note.

Tech expert Paul Yu told AFP the industry was at a "critical juncture" for AI hardware development.

"Over the past two and a half years, significant investment has driven rapid advances in AI technology," said Yu, of Witology Markettrend Research Institute.

"2025 to 2026 will be the crucial period for transitioning AI model training into profitable applications."

- 'Taiwan to continue to thrive' -

While US tariffs were the biggest issue facing the sector, most companies at Computex "will shy away from addressing tariffs directly as the situation is too uncertain," said Eric Smith of specialist platform TechInsights.

Last month, Washington announced a national security probe into imports of semiconductor technology, which could put the industry in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's trade bazooka and inflict potentially devastating levies.

Since taking office in January, Trump has threatened hefty tariffs against many of America's biggest trade partners with the aim of forcing companies to move production to US soil.

Export-dependent Taiwan has pledged to increase investment in the United States as it seeks to avoid a 32 percent US tariff on its shipments.

But there are concerns the island could lose its dominance of the chip sector -- the so-called "silicon shield" protecting it from an invasion or blockade by China and an incentive for the United States to defend it.

TSMC, the Taiwanese contract chipmaking giant, has unveiled plans to inject an additional $100 billion into the United States, on top of the $65 billion already pledged.

TSMC-supplier GlobalWafers also announced plans last week to increase its US investment by $4 billion as the Taiwanese company opened a wafer facility in the US state Texas.

But Huang was optimistic on Friday when asked about the impact of tariffs on Taiwan, saying the island would "remain at the centre of the technology ecosystem".

"There are so many smart companies here, there are so many innovative and spirited companies," Huang said.

"I fully expect Taiwan to continue to thrive... before, after, throughout."

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Shanghai (AFP) May 16, 2025 - US chipmaker Nvidia is planning to build a research and development centre in Shanghai, the Financial Times reported Friday, as tighter export restrictions imposed by Washington threaten sales in the key Chinese market.

The tougher US controls in recent years have prevented the California-based firm from selling certain AI chips -- widely regarded as the most advanced in the world -- to China.

As a result, it is now facing tougher competition from local players in the crucial market, including Huawei.

Nvidia boss Jensen Huang discussed plans to set up a research and development centre in Shanghai with its mayor during a visit to the city last month, the FT reported, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.

The site would "research the specific demands of Chinese customers and the complex technical requirements needed to satisfy Washington's curbs", said the report.

It added that "actual core design and production" would remain outside of China in order to comply with intellectual property transferral regulations.

Nvidia did not confirm or deny the project when contacted by AFP, nor did Shanghai authorities.

But a source close to the matter told AFP that Nvidia is "leasing a new space for existing employees", adding that "this is a continuation of our longstanding presence there".

"We are not sending any GPU designs to China to be modified to comply with export controls," an Nvidia spokesperson told AFP, referring to graphics processing unit.

During a visit to Beijing in April, Huang met with Vice Premier He Lifeng, telling him that he "looked favourably upon the potential of the Chinese economy", according to state news agency Xinhua.

Huang said he was "willing to continue to plough deeply into the Chinese market and play a positive role in promoting US-China trade cooperation", Xinhua said.

The tightened US export curbs come as China's economy wavers, with domestic consumers reluctant to spend and a prolonged property sector crisis weighing on growth.

President Xi Jinping has called for the country to become more self-reliant as uncertainty in the external environment increases.

Xi said last month that China should "strengthen basic research, focusing our efforts on overcoming challenges in key technologies such as advanced chips and core software, and building an autonomous AI system", according to Xinhua.

Washington has expanded its efforts in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that these can be used to advance Beijing's military systems and otherwise undermine US dominance in artificial intelligence.

pfc/reb/tc/md

Nvidia

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Columbia MO (SPX) May 21, 2025 - Imagine drawing on something as delicate as a living cell - without damaging it. Researchers at the University of Missouri have made this groundbreaking discovery using an unexpected combination of tools: frozen ethanol, electron beams and purple-tinted microbes.

By advancing a method called ice lithography, the team was able to etch incredibly small, detailed patterns directly onto fragile biological surfaces.

While traditional lithography is commonly used to make tiny circuits and other electronic parts for phones and computers, it relies on a liquid process that can easily harm delicate materials, including carbon nanotubes and biological membranes.

That's where Mizzou's ice-based approach stands out. By using a layer of frozen ethanol instead of liquid, they've created a gentler, more precise way to work with materials once considered too fragile to handle.

"Instead of using a traditional lithography process, which can be too harsh on delicate biological materials, our technique applies a thin layer of ice to protect the material's surface while the pattern is made," Gavin King, a professor of physics and study co-author, said. "That frozen layer helps keep everything stable during the process and makes it possible for us to work with delicate biological materials that would normally be damaged substantially."

Mizzou has one of only three labs in the world - and the only one in North America - using this ice lithography method. What sets the work apart is the use of ethanol ice, which protects delicate biological materials where regular water ice would cause damage.

To test their new ethanol-ice-based method, researchers used Halobacterium salinarum, a tiny microorganism that makes a purple protein capable of capturing sunlight and turning it into energy - akin to nature's version of a solar panel. Well known in biology since the 1970s, this microbe's ability to efficiently convert light into energy makes it a promising candidate for developing new kinds of power sources.

While Mizzou's discovery is proof of concept, the team is excited about its future potential, including the possibility of using these delicate purple membranes to create solar panels.

How it works

First, researchers place the biological membrane on a cold surface inside a scanning electron microscope. The temperature is lowered to extremely cold levels, below -150 C. Then, when they add ethanol vapor, it instantly freezes into ethanol ice and forms a thin, smooth layer over the membrane.

Next, a focused beam of electrons draws tiny patterns in the frozen layer. Once completed, the surface is gently warmed. The parts of the ice that weren't hit by the beam are sublimed away, while the pattern - now a solid material - is left behind.

"The patterns we're making are smaller than 100 nanometers wide, and more than 1,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair," Dylan Chiaro, graduate student and lead author of the study, said. "It's a major step toward working with some of biology's most delicate components."

A collaborative effort

Suchi Guha, a professor of physics and study co-author, helped identify the structure of the resulting material. Using a high-sensitivity tool that examines how light interacts with molecules, called surface-enhanced Raman scattering, her lab discovered that the solid material behaves similarly to carbon fiber.

After the process was completed, the purple membrane was nearly unchanged - only losing less than one nanometer in thickness. This proves that researchers can use this process to create patterns directly on fragile biological materials without damaging them - a challenge that has perplexed scientists.

Bernadette Broderick, an assistant professor of chemistry and study co-author, helped discover the presence of ketene, a short-lived chemical that forms during the electron beam process. King believes this discovery by Broderick's lab, which specializes in astrochemistry, can help explain how the ethanol ice transforms into a stable, solid material - a critical step in understanding the chemistry and physics behind the method.

"Each lab contributed a different piece of the puzzle," King said. "This kind of interdisciplinary teamwork is what really made the discovery possible."

Research Report:Precise Fabrication of Graphite-Like Material Directly on a Biological Membrane Enabled by Ethanol Ice Resist

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Beijing (AFP) May 19, 2025 - Chinese tech giant Xiaomi will invest 50 billion yuan ($6.9 billion) in developing high-end smartphone chips, the firm's founder said on Monday.

Xiaomi, which sells goods from smartphones to vacuum cleaners and EVs, is one of China's most prominent consumer electronics firms.

Writing on social media platform WeChat to mark the 15th year since the company's establishment, Lei Jun said: "chips are the underlying core track for Xiaomi to break through in cutting-edge technology, so we will definitely make an all-out effort".

In pursuit of Xiaomi's semiconductor ambitions, the firm has developed an investment plan involving "at least 10 years of investment and at least 50 billion yuan", Lei added.

Xiaomi took initial steps into semiconductors for smartphones with the launch of the firm's first in-house chip -- the Surge S1 -- in 2017.

But the group was forced to halt production of the chip due to technical and financial obstacles, and has since refocused on other components as well as a move into the electric vehicle sector.

"That is not our 'dark history'. That is the path we have travelled," wrote Lei on Monday.

Since 2021, Xiaomi's chip development program has already received 13.5 billion yuan in research and development funds for a team of more than 2,500 employees, said the billionaire entrepreneur.

The announcement comes in the face of heightened technological tensions between Beijing and Washington as both nations seek to ensure access to the most advanced components.

A number of Chinese firms are racing to develop their own chips with the aim of freeing themselves from reliance on foreign suppliers in the face of that rivalry.

"Xiaomi has always had a 'chip dream'," Lei wrote, adding: "I earnestly request everyone to give us more time and patience to support our continued exploration on this road".

aas-pfc/oho/mtp

Xiaomi

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Beijing (AFP) May 14, 2025 - China on Wednesday handed a suspended death sentence to the former head of a major state-owned maker of high-end semiconductors, state media reported.

Zhao Weiguo, the former chairman of semiconductor titan Tsinghua Unigroup, came under official investigation in 2022 and was formally accused of graft the following year.

China has sought to increase its self-reliance in the field of semiconductors, which are used in everything from televisions to weapons and supercomputers, particularly as they have become a focus of trade tensions between Beijing and countries like the United States.

Tsinghua Unigroup rose to become one of the country's leading chipmakers after a string of acquisitions, but accumulated huge debts under Zhao's chairmanship.

It defaulted on several bond payments in 2020, sparking a painful restructuring and a change in ownership.

On Wednesday, a court in northeastern China found Zhao guilty of massive embezzlement, illegal profiteering and intentionally harming the interests of a listed company, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

He was given a death sentence with a two-year suspension, deprived of political rights for life and ordered to forfeit his personal assets.

In China, death sentences for corruption-related crimes are often reduced to life imprisonment on appeal.

He was also fined 12 million yuan ($1.65 million).

Zhao, who is in his late 50s, graduated from Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University and started working in 1993 at Tsinghua Unigroup, which has historic ties to the school, according to an official Chinese biography.

He rose through the ranks and served as the company's chairman from 2009 until the time of his investigation.

The court found that Zhao and an accomplice had used his position to buy property that should have been owned by the company at cut-rate prices, illegally occupying state-owned assets worth 470 million yuan, CCTV reported.

He also cost the state over 890 million yuan when he bought services from his accomplice's company at a rate much higher than the market value, it said.

"(Zhao) embezzled a particularly huge sum of money and caused particularly serious losses to national interests, and should be sentenced to death," the court concluded.

But "the execution will not be immediately carried out" because he cooperated with prosecutors and returned his ill-gotten gains, it said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has waged an unrelenting crackdown on official corruption since coming to power over a decade ago.

Proponents say the policy promotes clean governance, but others say it also serves as a means for Xi to purge political rivals.

]]> Fri, 23 MAY 2025 02:08:44 AEST Subscribe to our daily selection of space, military, environment and energy newsletters responseText http://visitor.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=0016gbbKsaiGSpQFojVO8ZoHw%3D%3D