A quick roundup of May’s biggest semiconductor stories — from billion-dollar deals and AI growth to tariffs, leadership shakeups, and industry restructurings, unpacking the key developments shaping the tech that powers our world.

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In this edition of The Chip Observer we recap our monthly sister publication, unpacking the complex interplay of geopolitics and semiconductor strategy, with shifting U.S. tariffs and an uncertain future for the CHIPS Act creating turbulence across supply chains. Despite headwinds, companies like **TSMC and Hyundai** are doubling down on U.S. investments to secure market access. With a spotlight on AI's relentless momentum, as Nvidia reveals its GPU roadmap through 2028 and announces massive investments in U.S. manufacturing. Private sector activity is red-hot, with OpenAI landing a record-breaking investment, and major acquisitions from SoftBank and Qualcomm reshaping the AI hardware and edge AI space. Finally, we touch on silicon photonics — from Nvidia’s high-speed optical interconnects to STMicroelectronics’ new Si-Pho platform and Google’s LightBridge, we're seeing the foundation of next-gen data transfer and chip architecture take shape. Whether it's silicon, photons, or policy—change is accelerating. Let’s break it down.

The video recaps the key takeaways from the recent Mobile World Congress, 2025, focusing on how wireless technology is shaping the integration of AI. Explaining that while AI is being added to improve efficiency, it's not driving the change—wireless systems are. Topics include smart device design, network optimization, satellite connectivity, and long-range low-power solutions.