AI Chip Boom, Google’s New Tricks, and Hollywood’s Robot Wars – Today’s AI News Roundup
The global frenzy for AI chips is translating into explosive growth for chipmakers. Taiwan’s TSMC just posted a 60% year-on-year jump in quarterly profit, its highest ever, driven by “demand for artificial intelligence… getting stronger and stronger,” according to CEO C.C. Wei reuters.com reuters.com. He noted that key customer Nvidia was recently allowed to resume selling advanced H20 AI chips to China – “very positive news” for Nvidia and “in return it’s very positive news for TSMC,” Wei said reuters.com. TSMC has hiked its revenue outlook and predicts up to 40% sales growth next quarter, though it’s cautiously eyeing potential U.S. tariff impacts later this year reuters.com. Nvidia, meanwhile, has seen its market value soar on the back of AI chip demand, making it the world’s most valuable semiconductor firm brookings.edu. Analysts say the AI spending spree has “shored up investors’ confidence” in continued growth techmeme.com, even as policymakers debate export curbs and competition heats up. Google is rolling out more advanced AI capabilities in Search, including a new feature that actually makes phone calls for you. Now when users in the U.S. search for certain local services, they can click a “have AI check pricing” prompt. Google’s AI, powered