Summary: This article provides an in-depth analysis of the structural changes in the chip industry in the second half of 2026 driven by AI and self-reliability strategies, explores new investment logic and long-term value in chip investment, and offers a panoramic perspective on industry trends for investors.
In-depth Analysis of Chip Industry Trends: AI and Self-Reliability Reshape Investment Logic in the Second Half of 2026
\nIn 2026, the global semiconductor industry is at a critical juncture of a new technological revolution and industrial transformation. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology and global supply chain restructuring, the chip industry is experiencing unprecedented structural changes. This article will deeply analyze the development trends and investment value of the chip industry in the second half of 2026 from four dimensions: industry changes driven by AI, industrial upgrading under self-reliability strategy, structural investment opportunities, and future investment logic, providing investors with a panoramic perspective.
\n\nChip Industry Changes Driven by AI
\nIn 2026, artificial intelligence has become the core engine driving the development of the chip industry. The popularization of large language models and multimodal AI applications has created unprecedented demand for computing power, directly driving the rapid growth of the high-end chip market. According to industry data, the global AI chip market size grew by more than 45% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, and is expected to exceed $200 billion for the whole year.
\n\nAt the technical level, AI chips are developing towards higher performance, lower power consumption, and higher integration. Advanced process technologies such as 3nm and below have become the focus of competition among leading manufacturers, while advanced packaging technologies such as Chiplets are also playing an increasingly important role in improving chip performance. Leading semiconductor companies listed on the Singapore Exchange, such as MediaTek and United Microelectronics Corporation, are continuously increasing R&D investment in the AI chip field, promoting product iteration and upgrading.
\n\nNotably, the diversification of AI application scenarios is reshaping the market demand structure of chips. In addition to traditional data center AI chips, segments such as edge computing AI chips and terminal device AI chips are also showing rapid growth trends. This diversification trend brings new development opportunities for enterprises at all links of the chip industry chain, while also putting higher requirements on chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing.
\n\nChip Industry Upgrading Under Self-Reliability Strategy
\nChanges in the global geopolitical landscape have made semiconductor supply chain security a focus of attention for all countries. In 2026, the self-reliability strategy has become an important guiding direction for the development of the global semiconductor industry, and countries have successively introduced policies to support the development of local chip industries. Against this background, the self-reliability process of various links in the chip industry chain has accelerated, and industrial ecosystem reconstruction has become the main theme of the industry.
\n\nChina has made significant progress in chip self-reliability. In the first half of 2026, China's chip design market size grew by more than 30% year-on-year, and some high-end chip products have achieved breakthroughs. At the same time, domestic wafer manufacturing capacity continues to expand, 12-inch wafer factory construction is accelerating, and the self-sufficiency rate of mature process capacity has significantly improved. As an important hub for the global semiconductor industry, Singapore is also actively promoting chip industry upgrading and strengthening industrial chain cooperation with neighboring countries.
\n\nPolicy support is an important force promoting the self-reliability of the chip industry. In 2026, many governments have increased support for the semiconductor industry through various means such as tax incentives, R&D subsidies, and industrial funds. These policy measures not only alleviate the financial pressure on enterprises, but also provide a good environment for industrial innovation, accelerating technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrading.
\n\nStructural Changes in the Chip Industry in the Second Half of 2026
\nIn the second half of 2026, the global semiconductor industry shows obvious structural differentiation characteristics. The market trends of advanced processes and mature processes are diverging, and the demand for chips in different application fields also shows differentiated trends, and these changes are reshaping the industry landscape.
\n\nIn terms of process technology, the advanced process market continues to maintain high prosperity. 3nm and below advanced process chips are in short supply, wafer foundry prices are rising, and the capacity utilization rate of leading manufacturers is close to full capacity. At the same time, the mature process market shows a moderate recovery trend, with 12-inch mature process prices stabilizing and rising for three consecutive months, and demand growth in fields such as power management chips and automotive chips is obvious. This "dual-track" development trend is expected to continue until the end of 2026, bringing differentiated opportunities for enterprises at different links of the industry chain.
\n\nIn terms of application fields, AI chips, automotive chips, and industrial chips have become the main growth drivers. AI chips benefit from the continuous growth of large model training and inference demand; automotive chips benefit from the increase in new energy vehicle penetration and the development of intelligent driving technology; industrial chips benefit from the acceleration of industrial automation and digital transformation. In contrast, the consumer electronics chip market recovery is relatively slow, showing structural differentiation characteristics.
\n\nAfter a long period of adjustment, the storage chip market has reached a structural turning point in the second half of 2026. Benefiting from the growth of AI server demand and the end of inventory destocking, DRAM and NAND Flash contract prices have risen for two consecutive quarters, and some high-end storage products are in short supply. This recovery trend is expected to continue until 2027, bringing performance flexibility to enterprises in the storage chip industry chain.
\n\nNew Logic and Strategies for Chip Investment
\nFacing the structural changes in the chip industry in the second half of 2026, investors need to re-examine and adjust investment logic, balance long-term value and short-term hotspots, in order to obtain excess returns in a complex market environment.
\n\nFrom the perspective of the industry chain, there are different investment opportunities in links such as chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, materials, and equipment. In the chip design field, segments such as AI chips, automotive chips, and industrial chips are worth paying attention to; in the manufacturing sector, enterprises with advanced process capacity and special process advantages have long-term investment value; in the packaging and testing sector, advanced packaging technology companies benefit from the development of emerging technologies such as Chiplets; in the materials and equipment sector, import substitution opportunities brought by the acceleration of domestic replacement processes are worthy of key attention.
\n\nFrom the perspective of investment strategy, the combination of value investment and growth investment is an effective strategy for current chip industry investment. For leading enterprises with core technical advantages and market competitiveness, value investment strategy is suitable for long-term holding; for innovative enterprises in high-growth tracks with technological breakthrough potential, growth investment strategy can be adopted to seize opportunities brought by industrial outbreaks.
\n\nRisk factors are also important considerations that cannot be ignored in chip investment. Geopolitical risks, technology iteration risks, market demand fluctuation risks, and industry chain supply chain risks may all affect investment. Investors need to closely follow industry dynamics, establish a comprehensive risk management system, and effectively control risks while seizing opportunities.
\n\nConclusion: Long-term Value and Strategic Significance of Chip Investment
\nIn the second half of 2026, the global semiconductor industry is under the dual drive of AI revolution and self-reliability strategy, showing a complex situation of structural growth and differentiation coexisting. For investors, the chip industry not only has short-term performance flexibility, but also has long-term strategic value.
\n\nIn the long run, the development trends of digitalization, intellectualization, and networking will continue to drive chip demand growth. The development of emerging applications such as artificial intelligence, 5G/6G, Internet of Things, autonomous driving, and industrial Internet will provide continuous growth momentum for the chip industry. At the same time, the industrial upgrading opportunities brought by the restructuring of the global semiconductor supply chain will also bring long-term development space for enterprises with core competitiveness.
\n\nFor technology and semiconductor companies listed on the Singapore Exchange, seizing the opportunities of industrial change brought by AI and self-reliability, strengthening technology research and innovation capabilities, and improving product competitiveness are the keys to achieving long-term value growth. While paying attention to short-term market fluctuations, investors should focus more on the long-term value creation ability of enterprises and seize structural investment opportunities in industrial changes.
\n\nIn summary, the chip industry is in a critical period of structural change in the second half of 2026. AI-driven and self-reliability strategies are reshaping the industry landscape and investment logic. Investors need to deeply understand industry development trends, grasp investment opportunities at all links of the industry chain, and share the dividends brought by the long-term growth of the chip industry under the premise of controllable risks.
