Taiwan's No. 2 chipmaker UMC starts photonic chip production in Singapore

SemiconductorsOptical tech combined with chip packaging seen as next-generation growth driverTaiwan's United Microelectronics Corp. is pursuing new connectivity technologies to meet AI demand. (Cheng Ting-Fang)CHENG TING-FANGJuly 14, 2026 09:31 JSTHSINCHU, Taiwan -- Taiwan's second-largest contract chipmaker, United Microelectronics Corp., has started making advanced photonics chips in Singapore amid increasing demand for high-speed connectivity for artificial intelligence, a senior company executive told Nikkei Asia.