Computex 2024 opens on June 2. This year's show will feature the most important CEOs in the semiconductor and technology industries, led by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

From Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) to Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, the biggest names in PCs and chipmaking join Huang at Computex 2024 to showcase the advances that are laying the groundwork for technologies ranging from AI to smart devices. They also must find answers to the most pressing issues facing the global tech industry, from geopolitical upheaval and conflict to supply constraints on essential components like high-bandwidth memory (HBM).

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at Computex 2023. Photo: Bloomberg

Most importantly, how to harness AI and prepare for the changes that are coming. Qualcomm is betting on a partnership with Microsoft around new AI PCs, while Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger and Arm CEO Rene Haas will present their vision for the future of computing, and Huang is expected to be asked how he plans to respond to Qualcomm’s new joint venture.

Dan Newman, chief analyst and CEO of research firm Futurum, calls this the biggest shift in the PC business in decades. AI is the hottest trend, and everyone is jumping on board.

According to Bloomberg , Taipei is a good place to tackle those important questions. The city’s role in the chip supply chain has never waned, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the foundry partner for Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Arm. The path to AI breakthroughs is paved with semiconductors and servers, many of which are manufactured or assembled in Taiwan.

It’s also home to a group of lesser-known names that make Nvidia products. The American company leads the AI ​​data center market with the help of relationships Mr. Huang has cultivated with Taiwanese server makers like Quanta Computer and Hon Hai Precision Technology. On his most recent visit to the island, he heaped praise on those companies and talked about the trillion-dollar opportunity in AI.

Hon Hai Chairman Young Liu said at its annual shareholders meeting on May 31 that the AI ​​server will reach NT$1 trillion ($31 billion) in revenue next year.

Last year was hot for AI and this year is going to be explosive, according to James CF Huang, President of the organizer of Computex.

At an event at Computex 2023, Mr. Huang introduced a range of AI hardware — from the H100 AI chip to integrated server rack modules and proprietary technologies that help multiple components function as a single computer. All of those parts are made in Taiwan, he said, partly reflecting the fact that neither Intel nor Samsung Electronics has caught up with TSMC’s manufacturing technology and reliability.

Qualcomm could have a disruptive role at Computex 2024, as its Snapdragon chips will be heavily featured in the show’s most hyped product: Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PC line. The AI ​​PCs feature Microsoft’s latest and greatest AI features and rely on Qualcomm chips. Other PC makers like Asustek, Lenovo, and Dell will also bring similar products to the show.

If a company chooses to upgrade its AI computing line based on a particular company’s chips, it tends to stay that way for the future, says Newman, the analyst. So chipmakers are sending CEOs to Computex because they “want to make sure they’re staying relevant in this unique time.”

In addition, CEOs like Su and Gelsinger will be scrambling to secure some of the limited resources needed to produce AI products. SK Hynix, a leader in high-bandwidth memory, is nearly sold out through 2025. TSMC’s AI semiconductor production is also facing supply issues. “Everyone is scrambling to get more capacity,” Newman said.

(According to Bloomberg)