E-commerce and trade

Trump eyes tariffs on semiconductors in push to boost US tech manufacturing

US President Donald Trump is preparing to introduce new tariffs on semiconductor imports, aiming to shift more chip production back to the United States.

Semiconductors, or microchips, are essential components in everything from smartphones and laptops to medical devices and renewable energy systems.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said new tariff rates would be announced soon as part of a broader effort to end American reliance on foreign-made chips and strengthen national security.

The global semiconductor supply chain is heavily concentrated in Asia, with Taiwan’s TSMC producing over half of the world’s chips and supplying major companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia.

Trump’s move signals a more aggressive stance in the ongoing ‘chip wars’ with China, as his administration warns of the dangers of the US being dependent on overseas production for such a critical technology.

Although the US has already taken steps to boost domestic chip production—like the $6.6 billion awarded to TSMC to build a factory in Arizona—progress has been slow due to a shortage of skilled workers.

The plant faced delays, and TSMC ultimately flew in thousands of workers from Taiwan to meet demands, underscoring the challenge of building a self-reliant semiconductor industry on American soil.

Why does it matter?

Trump’s proposed tariffs are expected to form part of a wider investigation into the electronics supply chain, aimed at shielding the US from foreign control and ensuring long-term technological independence. As markets await the announcement, the global tech industry is bracing for potential disruptions and new tensions in the international trade landscape.

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Nvidia expands AI chip production in the US amid political pressure and global shifts

Nvidia is significantly ramping up its presence in the United States by commissioning over a million square feet of manufacturing space in Arizona and Texas to build and test its powerful AI chips. The tech giant has begun producing its Blackwell chips at TSMC facilities in Phoenix and is developing large-scale ‘supercomputer’ manufacturing plants in partnership with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

The company projects mass production to begin within the next 12 to 15 months, with ambitions to manufacture up to half a trillion dollars’ worth of AI infrastructure in the US over the next four years. CEO Jensen Huang emphasised that this move marks the first time the core components of global AI infrastructure are being built domestically.

He cited growing global demand, supply chain resilience, and national security as key reasons for the shift. Nvidia’s decision follows an agreement with the Trump administration that helped the company avoid export restrictions on its H20 chip, a top-tier processor still eligible for export to China.

Nvidia joins a broader wave of AI industry leaders aligning with the Trump administration’s ‘America-first’ strategy. Companies like OpenAI and Microsoft have pledged massive investments in US-based AI infrastructure, hoping to secure political goodwill and avoid regulatory hurdles.

Trump has also reportedly pressured key suppliers like TSMC to expand American operations, threatening tariffs as high as 100% if they fail to comply. Despite the enthusiasm, Nvidia’s expansion faces headwinds.

A shortage of skilled workers and potential retaliation from China—particularly over raw material access—pose serious risks. Meanwhile, Trump’s recent moves to undermine the Chips Act, which provides critical funding for domestic chipmaking, have raised concerns about the long-term viability of US semiconductor investment.

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US exempts key electronics from China import taxes

Smartphones, computers, and key tech components have been granted exemption from the latest round of US tariffs, providing relief to American technology firms heavily reliant on Chinese manufacturing.

The decision, which includes products such as semiconductors, solar cells, and memory cards, marks the first major rollback in President Donald Trump’s trade war with China.

The exemptions, retroactively effective from 5 April, come amid concerns from US tech giants that consumer prices would soar.

Analysts say this move could be a turning point, especially for companies like Apple and Nvidia, which source most of their hardware from China. Industry reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with suggestions that the policy shift could reshape global tech supply chains.

Despite easing tariffs on electronics, Trump has maintained a strict stance on Chinese trade, citing national security and economic independence.

The White House claims the reprieve gives firms time to shift manufacturing to the US. However, electronic goods will still face a separate 20% tariff due to China’s ties to fentanyl-related trade. Meanwhile, Trump insists high tariffs are essential leverage to renegotiate fairer global trade terms.

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China halts rare earth exports in trade war escalation

Exports of critical rare earth minerals and magnets from China have ground to a halt following new export restrictions, threatening global supply chains across the semiconductor, automotive, defence, and energy sectors.

The suspension took effect on 4 April, after Beijing imposed strict new licensing requirements in response to steep United States tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump.

China dominates the global supply of rare earth materials such as dysprosium and terbium, which are essential for manufacturing everything from electric vehicles to drones and missiles.

Industry insiders say licence applications could take up to several months to process, sparking fears of shortages if the halt persists beyond two months. Traders estimate shipments might resume after at least 60 days, but delays could stretch further.

Trump defended the tariffs, claiming they are necessary to address trade imbalances, particularly with China. He hinted at further tariffs targeting semiconductors and electronic devices, while his commerce secretary confirmed that smartphones and laptops may also be subject to new levies.

Critics, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have condemned the approach, warning it will lead to confusion and instability in global markets.

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Lenovo unveils compact edge AI server

Lenovo has introduced the ThinkEdge SE100, a compact AI inferencing server aimed at bringing edge AI within reach for businesses of all sizes.

Rather than relying on large data centres for processing, this server is designed to operate on-site in space-constrained environments, allowing data to be processed locally instead of being sent to the cloud.

The SE100 supports hybrid cloud deployments and is part of Lenovo’s new ThinkSystem V4 family. While the V4 systems are built for AI training, the SE100 is intended for inferencing, which is less demanding and doesn’t require power-hungry GPUs.

Lenovo says the unit is 85% smaller than a typical 1U server and draws under 140W, even with GPU configurations.

Engineered to be both energy-efficient and quiet, the SE100 uses Neptune liquid cooling instead of traditional fans, making it suitable for public spaces. Its design also helps extend system health and lifespan by reducing air flow needs and lowering operating temperatures.

Lenovo’s vice president of infrastructure products, Scott Tease, stated the SE100 is a cost-effective solution that simplifies AI deployment at the edge.

Its flexible design adapts to diverse business needs, offering low-latency, high-performance inferencing without the complexity or expense of full-scale AI infrastructure.

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AI giant Nvidia rebounds but challenges remain

Shares in Nvidia soared by nearly 20 per cent following a 90-day suspension of new US tariffs, lifting Wall Street to one of its strongest single-day performances in decades. The tech giant, whose chips underpin much of the AI boom from tools like ChatGPT to drone technologies, added $440bn to its market value in just one session, underlining its pivotal role in the global AI race.

Despite the rally, serious concerns remain. While some tariffs were temporarily halted, President Donald Trump raised levies on Chinese imports to as high as 125 per cent. For Nvidia, whose supply chain relies heavily on advanced manufacturing in Asia, particularly Taiwan and South Korea, the move threatens to disrupt both costs and production timelines. Analysts caution that such trade friction could deter investment in AI infrastructure, which is still in early stages of commercial return.

Even with strong revenues and continued dominance in AI hardware, Nvidia faces growing headwinds. The firm’s recent share slump reflected broader anxiety over whether AI spending is peaking, alongside the rise of cheaper, open-source alternatives. Added pressure from high energy demands, regulatory risks, and tighter capital markets could further complicate growth. Industry watchers warn that tariffs may undermine the very conditions AI needs to flourish: stable supply chains, affordable power, and investor confidence.

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Fujitsu launches AI scanner to assess tuna fat

Fujitsu has developed a new AI-powered inspection device that determines the fat content of frozen albacore tuna with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Replacing the traditional practice of slicing and thawing tuna tails for human evaluation, the technology uses ultrasonic waves and artificial intelligence to analyse the internal marbling of the fish without causing damage.

The system scans each tuna from four angles, generating waveforms that an AI algorithm interprets to assess fat levels. Results are displayed in seconds with labels such as ‘highly marbled’ or ‘low fat’, dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual inspection. While visual assessment typically takes around a minute, Fujitsu’s device completes the process in just 12 seconds.

Developed in partnership with Tokai University and with support from machinery firm Ishida Tech, the device promises greater consistency and the ability to inspect every fish in a catch, something previously considered too labour-intensive. Scheduled to launch in June, it will be priced between 30 million and 35 million yen (£160,000–£187,000). Fujitsu aims to expand the system to evaluate additional species like yellowfin and bonito, and to assess freshness and texture in future updates.

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WooCommerce responds to alleged data breach claim

A hacker going by the alias ‘Satanic’ recently claimed responsibility for a significant data breach affecting websites that use WooCommerce, a leading eCommerce platform. The attacker alleged that over 4.4 million customer records were compromised, including personal and corporate data such as email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, and social media profiles, as well as company revenues, staff sizes, and tech stacks.

The original announcement was made on Breach Forums, a known cybercrime forum, where the hacker stated that the data was available for sale via private messages or Telegram. While initial reports—including one by HackRead—linked the breach to WooCommerce-based stores, WooCommerce has since issued an official statement denying that its systems were involved in the incident.

‘We can confirm that no WooCommerce data has been involved in the breach described in these articles. Our team quickly investigated the data samples and compared them against our own records. We determined that the data was not obtained through a breach of WooCommerce.com or any other Automattic services.’ — Jay Walsh, Director of Communications, WooCommerce.

The company believes that the leaked data originated from a third-party service that aggregates publicly available information about e-commerce sites. It is unclear whether the data was accessed legally or obtained through other means.

The attacker claimed the breach was achieved by exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party systems integrated with WooCommerce-powered websites—such as CRMs or marketing platforms—rather than through WooCommerce itself. However, no technical evidence has been shared to substantiate this claim.

The incident follows previous breach claims by the same hacker involving platforms like Magento and Twilio’s SendGrid, the latter of which was also denied by the company.

WooCommerce, owned by Automattic, powers a large share of global online shops. While the platform remains secure according to its developers, the case highlights ongoing concerns about the security of third-party tools and integrations.

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Gerry Adams targets Meta over use of his books

Gerry Adams, the former president of Sinn Féin, is considering legal action against Meta for allegedly using his books to train AI. Adams claims that at least seven of his books were included in a large collection of copyrighted material Meta used to develop its AI systems.

He has handed the matter over to his solicitor. The books in question include his autobiography Before the Dawn, prison memoir Cage Eleven, and reflections on Northern Ireland’s peace process Hope and History, among others.

Adams is not the only author voicing concerns about Meta’s use of copyrighted works. A group of writers filed a US court case in January, accusing Meta of using the controversial Library Genesis (LibGen) database, which hosts over 7.5 million books, many believed to be pirated.

The discovery followed a searchable database of titles from LibGen being published by The Atlantic, which led several authors to identify their works being used to train Meta’s Llama AI model.

The Society of Authors has condemned Meta’s actions, with chair Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin calling the move ‘shocking and devastating’ for authors.

Many authors are concerned that AI models like Llama, which power tools such as chatbots, could undermine their work by reproducing creative content without permission. Meta has defended its actions, claiming that its use of information to train AI models is in line with existing laws.

Adams, a prolific author and former MP, joins other Northern Irish writers, including Booker Prize winner Anna Burns, in opposing the use of their work for AI training without consent.

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Anker raises prices amid rising US tariffs

Chinese tech company Anker, one of Amazon’s largest sellers, has raised prices on a fifth of its products on the platform since last Thursday. The price hikes, averaging 18%, are a direct result of the recent increase in US tariffs on Chinese goods.

The majority of the price rises occurred after 7 April, when President Donald Trump imposed an additional 50% import duty on Chinese imports.

It follows a broader trend where US import tariffs on Chinese goods have now reached 145%, while Beijing retaliated by raising tariffs on US products to 125%.

In response, China’s largest cross-border e-commerce association warned that many Chinese businesses selling on Amazon are considering price hikes or may leave the US market altogether.

Anker, a major player in the e-commerce space since its founding in 2011, has leveraged its bargaining power to implement these price increases.

With 5,000 employees and annual revenues of 22.17 billion yuan ($3 billion), Anker is able to absorb some of the tariff pressure while many of its competitors face similar challenges.

The company has also hinted at expanding into non-US markets, including Europe and Southeast Asia, as it seeks to navigate the increasingly challenging trade environment.

Anker and Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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