AI Slowdown Shock: Global AI-linked stocks slid after Anthropic and OpenAI leaders urged a slowdown in frontier model development, with chip and data-center names taking a hit and Taiwan’s TSMC also slipping. Semiconductor Supply Push: TSMC plans to boost 3-nanometer output and accelerate advanced-node production, reinforcing Taiwan’s “silicon shield” role in global AI and critical tech. Energy & Markets: Oil surged above $100 amid Middle East shipping fears, adding inflation pressure and weighing on Asian tech sentiment. AI Safety Alarm: A Google DeepMind ex-staffer warned AI could “kill us all,” adding to a growing chorus of safety concerns. China Tech Security Controls: China’s new exit-and-entry rules took effect, tightening travel for people deemed a risk to national technology security. Taiwan Security Context: Taiwan reported continued Chinese aircraft and vessels operating around the island as tensions build ahead of Xi’s planned U.S. visit. Speech AI Research: Taiwan-linked researchers are set to appear at INTERSPEECH 2026’s multilingual conversational speech workshop, highlighting ongoing regional work on language and speech AI. Local Tech Diplomacy: The U.S. sees “huge scope” for Taiwanese participation in the Luzon Economic Corridor, especially in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and AI. UN Trust & Taiwan: Taiwan’s foreign affairs ministry argued that restoring UN confidence requires rejecting coercion by authoritarian states, with Taiwan framed as a key target in Indo-Pacific grey-zone pressure. Cybersecurity Watch: Researchers warned Skullcandy Dime 3 earbuds can accept unwanted Bluetooth pairing on older firmware, underscoring consumer device security risks.