The world's three leading AI chip giants are making intensive visits to Taiwan just before the opening of ComputeX 2026, signaling that AI infrastructure development is expanding from a GPU race to encompass the entire supply chain, including CPUs, ASICs, and advanced packaging.
Industry sources indicate that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang arrived in Taiwan first on May 23 and is expected to stay for over ten days. His itinerary includes meetings with TSMC founder Morris Chang, CEO C.C. Wei, and Quanta Computer Chairman Barry Lam. AMD CEO Lisa Su subsequently visited Taiwan. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger is also set to arrive this weekend. In addition to internal meetings and a planned meeting with TSMC executives, he has three confidential sessions scheduled with the Taiwanese supply chain and will deliver a keynote speech at ComputeX on June 2.
The intensive visits by the three CEOs are interpreted by the industry as a crucial move to secure AI infrastructure capacity for the next three to five years.
**CPU Demand Unexpectedly Surges, Marking Full-Chain AI Infrastructure Expansion**
Six months to a year ago, the market barely discussed CPU shortages, but this situation has quietly reversed. As AI inference truly took off in the second half of 2025, CPU demand has exploded, far exceeding initial market expectations. AMD projects the CPU market will see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) exceeding 35% over the next five years.
Jensen Huang noted that the AI market has rapidly extended from model training to the era of AI Agents, inference, and AI Factories. When AI begins autonomously utilizing various tools, a massive number of CPUs are required for data scheduling, system control, and memory management. NVIDIA has formally entered the CPU market, with its Vera CPU now being sold independently, and is optimistic that the future AI data center CPU market could reach $200 billion. Huang simultaneously emphasized that GPUs will remain the core workhorse for the vast majority of AI computing.
Intel disclosed that the configuration ratio of GPUs to CPUs during the AI training phase was approximately 8:1 in the past but has now dropped to 4:1, and may approach 1:1 or even reverse in the future. Intel estimates that the global server CPU market and its own shipments will maintain double-digit percentage growth in 2026, with momentum continuing into 2027, as demand far outstrips supply.
Lisa Su's assessment of the AI industry's prospects aligns with this direction. Using a baseball game as an analogy, she emphasized that the AI industry is still in a very early stage—"If you compare AI to a 9-inning baseball game, we're probably only in the 3rd inning."
**Intel's Process Progress Becomes Key for Market Reevaluation**
During Pat Gelsinger's visit, it is anticipated he will showcase "a completely restructured and renewed Intel" and engage in one-on-one exchanges with the core supply chain, directly listening to partners' opinions and suggestions.
Regarding process technology, Gelsinger recently admitted in an interview with CNBC that the 18A process was not in ideal condition when he took over, but the rate of yield improvement has now exceeded expectations. Of greater market interest is the 14A process—its current maturity, yield, and performance metrics are ahead of where the 18A process was at a comparable development stage. Design-in activities and customer commitments are expected in the second half of 2026 to the first half of 2027.
Concurrently, Intel is ramping up capacity and capital expenditure, focusing on EUV equipment introduction and advanced process expansion, with capacity expected to increase quarter by quarter.
Beyond technological progress, the momentum of external customers for Intel Foundry Services is also closely watched. Gelsinger revealed that more potential customers have proactively reached out to discuss using Intel's foundry services, with several external customers expected to begin production in the second half of the year.
On June 1, Intel plans to host a supply chain cocktail reception in Taiwan, inviting long-term upstream and downstream partners. On the evening of June 2, a closed-door exchange is scheduled with executives from companies including the "Electronic Big Five," Asus, and Advantech, covering topics such as AI servers, PCs, and U.S. manufacturing plans and outlooks.
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