EP3-6 | Washington’s Shutdown to Taiwan’s New Alliance and the AI Workforce Shift

In this episode, we’re joined by serial entrepreneur and investor Terry Hsiao to explore the defining shifts that have shaped Silicon Valley from 2000 to 2025—from the dot-com boom and bust, through the rise of mobile and cloud, to today’s AI-driven transformation and the restructuring of venture models. Terry’s journey spans from engineer to serial founder, investor, and educator, bridging startup communities across the U.S. and Taiwan. He reflects on how each wave—from the internet era’s obsession with “eyeballs,” to the mobile revolution powered by the iPhone and AWS, to the post-COVID reinvention of venture—has redefined what it means to build and invest. Beyond taking a company public, Terry now mentors founders and investors on both sides of the Pacific, offering insights on what it takes to thrive in the decade ahead. Powered by Firstory Hosting

槓桿不賭命是一檔美股投資者的真實記錄，我是何星。每集我會完整告訴你我的資產配置，以及如何運用槓桿跟著資本成長。你我都是普通人，我不追求成功，我只想要生活輕鬆。如果你跟我一樣，podcast搜尋槓桿不賭命 https://fstry.pse.is/8a2lfh —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— In this special edition of EP 3–8, we explore how two innovation capitals—San Francisco and Los Angeles—revealed contrasting yet complementary visions of the tech future during Tech Week 2025. From OpenAI’s pragmatic focus on AI infrastructure at Fort Mason to IBM Ventures’ high-stakes corporate venture night downtown, San Francisco showcased a city obsessed with building the backbone of intelligence. A week later, Los Angeles responded with cinematic flair: AI-driven fashion in Beverly Hills, immersive storytelling summits in Culver City, and a CEO retreat at Terranea where culture met capital. This episode examines how the Bay Area engineered the systems of tomorrow while LA gave them soul—marking a shift from innovation as technology to innovation as experience. Powered by Firstory Hosting

This week, we trace two seismic shifts redefining both the AI race and the global economy. OpenAI–AMD Alliance marks a structural realignment in the AI hardware landscape. The multi-year partnership grants OpenAI access to up to 6 GW of AMD’s next-generation Instinct accelerators—a move that diversifies its compute base beyond NVIDIA and positions AMD as a credible second supplier in the frontier-model era. The deal, which could add tens of billions in market value, signals a future where model developers and chipmakers are financially intertwined to secure compute sovereignty. U.S.–China Trade Confrontation re-enters a critical phase as Washington moves to impose 100 percent tariffs on nearly all Chinese imports, citing Beijing’s rare-earth export restrictions as a strategic threat. The escalation threatens to fragment technology supply chains, drive inflationary pressure in the U.S., and accelerate the formation of rival industrial blocs—America’s “friend-shoring” network versus China’s Belt-and-Road manufacturing orbit. Together, these developments expose a world where AI capacity, economic power, and geopolitical control are converging into the same equation—and where nations, companies, and investors must decide which ecosystem they belong to. Powered by Firstory Hosting

槓桿不賭命是一檔美股投資者的真實記錄，我是何星。每集我會完整告訴你我的資產配置，以及如何運用槓桿跟著資本成長。你我都是普通人，我不追求成功，我只想要生活輕鬆。如果你跟我一樣，podcast搜尋槓桿不賭命 https://fstry.pse.is/8a2lfh —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— This week, we track three pivotal forces shaping the global innovation narrative. Washington’s Shutdown has paralyzed U.S. federal agencies, disrupting capital markets and research while costing the economy up to $15 billion a week, underscoring how fragile high-tech growth becomes when governance stalls. Taiwan–U.S. High-Tech Partnership is emerging as a strategic framework for resilient supply chains and shared R&D in semiconductors and AI, offering a “Taiwan model” that balances collaboration with technological sovereignty. The AI Workforce Shift is accelerating as more than 120,000 global layoffs redefine work in the automation era, where efficiency metrics now favor algorithms over headcount. Powered by Firstory Hosting

This week, we take a closer look at two stories shaping the global innovation narrative from opposite sides of the Pacific. Taiwan Tech Week 2025: From Semiconductor Island to Innovation Island Taiwan brought more than 120 startups and 3,500 professionals to Silicon Valley in its boldest overseas showcase yet. The Taiwan Tech Summit at Santa Clara Convention Center signaled a shift in identity, positioning Taiwan as an Innovation Island with ambitions in AI, biotech, and deep tech, while building new bridges with the global ecosystem. San Francisco Tech Week 2025: A City Reclaims Its Innovation Role From September 15 to 21, San Francisco will host hundreds of events across the city, from AI and biotech forums to climate tech gatherings and neighborhood mixers. Tech Week 2025 is both a celebration and a test, as the city seeks to reassert itself as the epicenter of innovation culture in a world of rising global competition. Powered by Firstory Hosting

This week, we spotlight Jim Keller’s decision to bring Tenstorrent to Taiwan, and preview the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE 2025)—two stories that highlight Taiwan’s expanding influence at the cutting edge of global technology. Jim Keller and Tenstorrent: Betting on Taiwan At SEMICON Taiwan 2025, legendary chip architect Jim Keller—known for breakthroughs at Apple, AMD, and Tesla—announced that his company Tenstorrent will open a new office in Taiwan. The move underscores Taiwan’s unrivaled semiconductor supply chain and engineering talent, as Tenstorrent pushes chiplet-based AI processors to challenge NVIDIA’s dominance. Beyond business expansion, Keller’s strategy represents a vision of democratizing AI compute through affordable, flexible, and open architectures. TADTE 2025: Innovation and International Collaboration Opening this September at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, TADTE 2025 will bring together more than 400 exhibitors from over a dozen countries. With themes spanning advanced defense, green aviation, resilient supply chains, and unmanned systems, the exhibition positions Taiwan as a hub for aerospace innovation and cross-border cooperation. By showcasing both local breakthroughs and global partnerships, TADTE affirms Taiwan’s role as not just a manufacturing base, but a co-creator of the future of defense and aerospace technology. Powered by Firstory Hosting

This week, we look back at the breakthroughs and challenges unveiled at SEMICON 2025 in Taipei, and preview the upcoming Taiwan Tech Summit in Silicon Valley—two events that showcase Taiwan’s central role in the global tech arena. SEMICON 2025：AI and Advanced Packaging at the Forefront The 2025 International Semiconductor Exhibition (SEMICON 2025) in Taipei celebrated its 30th anniversary with a record scale: 1,200 companies from 56 countries, 4,100 booths, and nearly 100,000 attendees.  Highlights included AI, high-performance computing, and advanced packaging technologies such as 3D IC and chiplets, alongside themes like automotive semiconductors, robotics, sustainability, and cybersecurity. Industry leaders from TSMC, Google, Infineon, and NXP debated power and talent challenges while unveiling innovations like Google’s latest TPU and SK Hynix’s HBM4 memory. Taiwan Tech Summit 2025 debuts in Santa Clara Taiwan Tech Summit 2025 gathered over 3,500 professionals at the Santa Clara Convention Center, highlighting Taiwan’s ambition to evolve from a semiconductor hub into a global innovation leader. The event featured forums on AI, biotech, design, and cross-border entrepreneurship, alongside a Demo Day where startups with proven traction pitched for international investment. The Summit underscored Taiwan’s determination to become not just a supplier of hardware but a partner in shaping the future of AI, biotech, and human-centered technology. It marked both a milestone and a call to action for Taiwan’s global innovation journey. Powered by Firstory Hosting

This week, we take a closer look at three stories shaping technology, business, and Taiwan’s role in the global arena. Chip Tariffs Intensify U.S. President Donald Trump is once again using tariffs to push semiconductor production back to America. This move challenges decades of globalized supply chains and sharpens U.S.–China tech rivalry. We chose this story because Taiwan’s central role in chipmaking means the policy could have a direct and lasting impact on its industry and international partnerships. Taiwan Space Startup Breaks Even Tensor Tech, a space startup from Taiwan known for its spherical motors now regularly flying on SpaceX missions, has reached financial break-even in 2025. We highlight this story because it marks a milestone in deep-tech innovation, showing how a young company can carve out a position in the global space economy. Taiwan Expo USA Triumphs The Taiwan Expo USA 2025 in Dallas drew more than ten thousand participants and over a hundred companies, securing multiple cross-border collaborations. We feature this story because it underscores Taiwan’s growing presence in the U.S. market and reflects how industry and culture together strengthen Taiwan–U.S. relations. Powered by Firstory Hosting

In this episode of AI News, we delve into the latest developments shaping the global tech landscape. We start with a look at the economic implications of the recent US tariffs and how they are poised to impact the supply chain for AI and other advanced technologies. Next, we shift our focus to the rapidly emerging market for AR glasses, exploring new hardware and software innovations and discussing the potential for these devices to change how we interact with the digital world. Finally, we analyze a new report on a potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war and its possible effects on the tech and startup ecosystems in both regions. We also discuss how these geopolitical shifts might influence global investments and innovation. Join us as we break down these critical topics, providing insights into how AI is at the center of these major shifts. Powered by Firstory Hosting

How is AI redefining our living spaces? A Taiwan-based innovator, HOMEE.AI, is revolutionizing the global home furnishing industry with its cutting-edge AI technology. We are honored to have Kenny Du, the founder and CEO of HOMEE.AI, join us to share how this cloud-based solution simplifies the entire process of interior design and furniture selection. Discover how this groundbreaking technology is not only transforming interior design but also reshaping related industries such as real estate and construction, while becoming a strategic partner of Nvidia and Google. Share your thoughts about this episode : https://open.firstory.me/user/cl8jubp5t01v601sl4vys57dj/comments Host : Uly from Meet Global Guest : Kenny Du, founder and CEO of HOMEE.AI Powered by Startup Island TAIWAN  Directed by National Development Council  Produced by Meet Global by Business Next Media  👉More news of Taiwan startups: https://meetstartup.pse.is/4jhd5u  👉Follow us on LinkedIn: https://meetstartup.pse.is/4hhbhg  📪 Email us: [email protected]  Powered by Firstory Hosting