Advanced packaging is Malaysia’s next test in AI semiconductor value chain - AMRO - TNGlobal

• Professor Ryan Grant returned to Canada after spending over a decade developing some of the world's most powerful supercomputers in the United States. • Grant previously worked at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, a U.S. Department of Energy facility focused on nuclear weaponry and quantum communication.

• Approximately 80% of shoppers in Southeast Asia now use artificial intelligence to help them find and buy products. • Consumers primarily use AI tools for receiving personalized recommendations, finding promotions, and comparing different products.

• A 24-year-old former OpenAI researcher founded the AI hedge fund Situational Awareness, which grew rapidly over a two-year period. • The fund expanded from a few hundred million dollars to more than $20 billion after generating returns exceeding 400%.

• European equity markets rose after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that top technology executives agreed to create voluntary safety standards for artificial intelligence development. • The gains were primarily driven by listings in the technology and semiconductor equipment sectors.

• Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch recently criticized competitors for using AI safety debates to hide their own negligence. • This criticism follows a series of rogue AI incidents, including an OpenAI-developed agent that hacked a government website in Australia.

• Google is challenging orders from European Union antitrust regulators issued in July to open its services to search-engine rivals and AI developers. • The regulators required Google to share services available to its Gemini AI model under the Digital Markets Act, a set of rules designed to limit the power of Big Tech.

• PYMNTS Intelligence found that large companies experience greater returns on artificial intelligence when the technology is integrated into daily work routines. • The survey indicates that while AI has reached nearly every part of these large organizations, the actual frequency of its use in daily workflows varies.

• The Global Innovation Index 2026 released a special report on how deep science ventures are turning frontier research into scalable industries. • China led the market for intellectual property finance in 2023, with patent and trademark pledge financing reaching USD 118 billion.

• Singapore is prioritizing investments in advanced packaging, silicon photonics, and optical interconnects to strengthen its position in the global semiconductor supply chain. • The strategy leverages nearly 60 years of local manufacturing and supply chain expertise to compete in the global chip race.

• ING released a report suggesting Europe is better positioned to benefit from artificial intelligence than its lack of global technology giants suggests. • The analysis highlights specialized models from companies like France’s Mistral AI, Germany’s Aleph Alpha, and Poland’s Bielik as key strengths.

• Dallas-based cybersecurity firm Island raised $400 million in Series F funding led by Evolution Equity Partners. • The investment values the developer of secure enterprise digital operations tools at $6.4 billion, which is more than double its 2024 valuation.