Kospi sinks more than 7% in chip sell-off as Microsoft plans gigawatt-scale Maia deployment from 2027
Asian chip shares fell after a US chipmaker sell-off and a reported advance by a Chinese chipmaker, while Broadcom and Intel warned that capital and ROI risks threaten the AI infrastructure boom. Applied Materials opened a $5 billion research centre in Silicon Valley, and a report put off-balance-sheet AI infrastructure debt at $1.4 trillion. Water protests on an Indonesian island and a Firmus Grid IPO halt marked the resistance.
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Key notes
7%
Kospi fall on chip share sell-off
South Korea's main index fell sharply on worries about the AI boom. WKMG, WBAL and Yahoo Finance reported that the Kospi sank more than 7% on a sell-off of semiconductor shares including Samsung and SK Hynix.
Microsoft plans to run more of its AI infrastructure on its own chips. DQ and The Decoder reported that it will scale Maia chips to gigawatt-level deployments from 2027, and digitimes said the new Maia 300 is built on TSMC's N2P process.
Applied Materials opened a new chip research facility. SiliconANGLE and marketscreener put the investment at $5 billion, and TradingView placed the EPIC Center in Silicon Valley, aimed at collaborative semiconductor innovation.
A forecast puts AI infrastructure investment at an average of 3.6% of US GDP a year. BigGo Finance reported that off-balance-sheet financing conceals $1.4 trillion in debt.
New capacity moved toward signing and construction. Pulse 2.0 reported that Hunt Properties says a 150-megawatt Midwest AI data center lease nears execution, and StreetInsider reported that VivoPower began construction on a 40MW AI data center in Norway.
LS Materials entered the AI data center power market. Businesskorea and Korea IT Times reported a $51.5 million order, while BigGo Finance described it as a $51.6 million ultracapacitor supply deal with Bloom Energy.
Data centers · 55 storiesSites, colocation, cooling, capacity leases.A 150MW Midwest lease nears signing as building starts on a 40MW Norway siteEquipment orders flowed to Korean suppliers. Opposition grew in Scotland, Colorado's Weld County and on an Indonesian island over sites and water.Money committed to AI data center suppliers todayGaon Cable's $150M busduct contract is roughly three times LS Materials' power-systems deal (reported at $51.5–51.6M; larger figure shown), while KONST's $30M is a Series B funding round rather than a supply order.Hunt Properties says its 150-megawatt Midwest AI data center lease with Empery Digital nears execution.Pulse 2.0VivoPower began construction of a 40MW AI data center conversion in Norway with local contractors.StreetInsiderProactive financial newsGaon Cable signed a $150M busducts contract with a US AI data center.EvertiqOpen 55 stories →
Hyperscalers · 8 storiesCapex, power procurement, model-capacity deals.Senators target data-centre subsidies; $1.4 trillion off-balance-sheet debt flaggedDemocratic senators said AI data center companies told them they are not paying their full costs. Google backed a Houston startup to meet AI's energy needs.Hyperscalers, indexed over the last 10 sessionsClosing prices on each company's home exchange, indexed to 100 at the first session shown, for the 5 hyperscalers that moved most over the window.BigGo Finance reported that AI infrastructure investment will average 3.6% of US GDP annually, with $1.4 trillion in debt hidden by off-balance-sheet financing.BigGo FinanceSenators targeted Big Tech data center subsidies, and companies told them they will continue using NDAs and seeking tax breaks.Android HeadlinesSierra Sun TimesThe Houston Chronicle reported that Google is betting on a Houston startup to meet AI's energy demand.Houston ChronicleOpen 8 stories →
Semiconductors · 36 storiesAccelerators, memory, foundry, packaging.Kospi falls more than 7% as Asian chip shares slideA US chipmaker sell-off and a Chinese chipmaker's reported advance hit Asian tech stocks. Broadcom and Intel warned of capital and ROI risks.Chipmakers this window, by move1 of 8 tracked chipmakers rose over the window; the change is close to close on each company's home exchange, in its own currency.South Korea's Kospi sank more than 7% on a sell-off of semiconductor shares over AI boom worries.WKMGNikkei Asia reported that Asian tech shares plunged after a Chinese chipmaker reported a key advance.Nikkei AsiaMicrosoft unveiled the Maia 300 on TSMC's N2P process and plans multi-gigawatt Maia deployments.digitimesOpen 36 stories →
Semi equipment · 17 storiesLithography, deposition, etch, test, export rules.Applied Materials opens $5 billion research centre in Silicon ValleyFormFactor and Teradyne entered a broad semiconductor test collaboration. Keysight introduced a PCIe 7.0 protocol test solution.Toolmakers from window open to close6 of 6 tracked toolmakers closed the window above where they opened it; each line is one company's close, indexed to 100 at the open.Applied Materials opened a $5 billion semiconductor research and development center.marketscreener.comFormFactor and Teradyne announced a broad semiconductor test collaboration and a strategic investment.Unite.AIQuiver QuantitativeMoomoo reported that a US semiconductor equipment leader forecasts its revenue doubling in the coming years.MoomooOpen 17 stories →
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AI + Energy & Sustainability
Frontier AI power on the record, by country8 rows · 1 source
Stated power capacity summed across the frontier sites Epoch AI records in each country — where the grid load of the build-out actually sits.Epoch AI · Frontier Data Centers Hub
What today covered · topic by region6 of 16 stories carry a region
2 charts built from 1 stated figure across 16 stories, the first planned by the composer from the record. Also had the data for when the energy stories landed, pressure and relief by topic. Held back: power committed in deals that state a figure (no deal in this edition states the capacity it commits); power disclosed per edition · last 7 (only 1 of the last 7 editions put a number on it); other figures on the record today (only 1 other figure on the record — the card needs 3).