September 5, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: Semiconductor Tensions, Broadcom’s Earnings, and GenAI Top 100
In the past 24 hours, AI and the semiconductor industry have once again seen major developments. From U.S. technology restrictions to Broadcom’s earnings report, and a new ranking of global consumer AI applications, these shifts are shaping the future of the tech landscape. Here are the top three highlights and analysis.
1. U.S. Revokes TSMC’s Nanjing Waiver
Following Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the U.S. government has revoked Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) authorization to ship critical equipment to its mainland China fabs. TSMC confirmed it is evaluating the impact of the revoked waiver and is in talks with the U.S. government to ensure that operations at its Nanjing fab remain unaffected.
Commentary:
The U.S. government’s decision to revoke TSMC’s waiver underscores its continued hardline stance on restricting China’s access to advanced technologies. This move could further disrupt the global semiconductor supply chain. TSMC’s Nanjing fab mainly produces mature-node chips used in automotive and industrial applications. Losing the waiver may hinder short-term production capacity, directly affecting stability and future expansion. TSMC now faces a deepening geopolitical dilemma.
2. Broadcom Reports Q3 Earnings, AI ASIC Revenue Surges
Broadcom reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025 (ending August 3). Revenue grew 22% to nearly $16 billion, with adjusted earnings per share at $1.69 — both above Wall Street’s expectations ($15.8 billion revenue and $1.67 EPS). AI infrastructure-related semiconductor revenue reached $5.2 billion, up 63% year-on-year, surpassing analysts’ estimates of $5.11 billion. Broadcom has become a key player in the AI ASIC chip market, with Google continuing to co-develop custom chips, while Apple, Meta, and major data center operators are also expected to deepen collaborations.
Commentary:
Broadcom has established itself as a major force in the AI ASIC market, winning the trust of Google, Apple, Meta, and others. This highlights its strength in custom chip design and reflects the growing demand among enterprises to reduce reliance on general-purpose GPUs (like NVIDIA’s) in favor of high-performance, lower-cost alternatives. Unlike Marvell Technology, which saw its stock plunge over 18% after earnings, Broadcom remains favored by the market and investors. Its AI-driven business is expanding rapidly, now the company’s main growth engine. Could Broadcom become the next NVIDIA?
3. GenAI Top 100 Rankings Reveal Global Competition
Andreessen Horowitz released its “Global Top 100 Consumer GenAI Applications” report. ChatGPT and Gemini took the top two spots on web and mobile, respectively, while China’s DeepSeek ranked third on web. Notably, no Korean products made the list. Based on global traffic data over the past 2.5 years, the report shows the U.S. continues to dominate, while Chinese companies demonstrate greater strength in mobile AI applications.
Commentary:
In foundational models and general-purpose AI apps, the U.S. maintains a clear lead. DeepSeek’s third-place ranking on web reflects China’s rapid progress in large model development. More importantly, Chinese AI is shifting from “following in foundational models” to “leading in application innovation,” especially on mobile. Korea’s absence from the rankings is a sign of its struggles in this space. Future AI competition will not be about technology alone, but also ecosystems, applications, markets, and geopolitics.
The global AI race — driven by geopolitics, corporate performance, and innovation — continues to accelerate. Stay tuned with iaiseek.com for more breaking insights and business intelligence.
For other major AI events within the past 72 hours, see:
September 4, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: Salesforce Earnings, Credos Data Center Surge, Figma’s Stock Plunge
September 3, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: Google Avoids Breakup, Apple’s AI Talent Drain, Alibaba Cloud Named GenAI Leader