May 12, 2026

Gartner Predicts 40% of Organizations Deploying AI Will Use AI Observability to Monitor Model Performance by 2028 Forty percent of organizations deploying AI will adopt dedicated observability tools by 2028 to track model performance, bias and outputs as Gartner warns rising AI complexity and opacity create visibility gaps, increasing financial, reputational and regulatory risks. Gartner

Sponsor Highly Thermally & Electrically Conductive TLPS via Filing Paste New filing highlights advanced sintered metal paste enabling faster installation, superior heat dissipation, higher conductivity, and reliable thermal drain performance without long processing cycles. Ormet TLPS

The Memory Wall Is Real, Here Is the Door Major DRAM makers are expanding capacity, but AI-driven demand keeps supply tight, pushing prices sharply higher. Relief may not arrive until 2027–2030, forcing companies to cut features or redesign products, while memory compression emerges as a key workaround. EE Times

RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG Paper describes a mixed reaction RAIG electrolyte that minimizes galvanic corrosion and allows higher ENEPIG gold thicknesses, enabling robust designs and world-class quality on target with minimal variation. Technical Paper

When AI thinks you are who you are not UK debate intensifies over live facial recognition as officials promote its crime-fighting benefits while critics warn of weak oversight, racial bias, and privacy risks. The article urges stronger regulation, redress systems, and democratic control over rapidly expanding surveillance technology. Taipei Times

Sponsor Advanced Cleaning Starts with In-depth Knowledge Explore ZESTRON whitepapers on technical cleanliness, cleaning processes, and key factors of electronics reliability. Learn more. ZESTRON Europe

Taiwan ‘confident’ in US ties, foreign minister says Taiwan expresses confidence in stable US ties as Trump meets Xi, while monitoring Taiwan’s status in talks. US reiterates policy unchanged; defense budget cuts spark Washington concern and domestic political dispute, prompting government efforts to restore trust. Taipei Times

A Method to Investigate PCB Supplier Rework Processes and Best Practices This paper investigates PCB supplier rework processes, including identifying rework procedures that have potential implications to PCB functionality. Technical Paper

Technical Papers ■ Evaluation of Techniques for Intentional Contamination of PWB Substrates for Quantitative Cleanliness Analyses ■ Scaling SMT Traceability ■ The Drawbacks of Internal Recycling Systems for Solder Dross ■ Engineering ESD-Safe PCB Assembly for High-Reliability IoT and Industrial Electronics ■ The Analysis of Variance: Drawing Conclusions from Data That Are Correct, Unambiguous, and Defensible ■ PCB Rework Evolves, With X-ray a Constant Support ■ How pH Cleaning Agents Affect Production Performance ■ A Universal AI-Powered Segmentation Model for PCBA & Semiconductor ■ RAIG Minimizes Corrosion, Allows Higher Gold on ENEPIG ■ High Reliability Lead-Free Solder Paste with Rosin and Anti-Crack Resin MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

Sponsor Need Improved Solder Joint Visibility? Solder Peel-A-Way° Removable Terminal Carriers in place and peel the carrier away for complete solder joint visibility on both sides of the PCB. Watch a video to see it in action. Advanced Interconnections Corp.

Trump invites Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Larry Fink and other CEOs to join China trip for Xi summit President Donald Trump invites top U.S. executives, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, to join his China trip for talks with Xi Jinping. Leaders will discuss trade, AI, export controls, Taiwan and Iran while pursuing potential business deals. CNBC

Hassett says AI isn’t costing anybody their job right now — but tech layoffs keep coming Hassett says AI is not currently costing jobs, citing data and a White House taskforce. His remarks come amid tech layoffs where firms like Amazon, Meta, and others link AI-driven automation to restructuring, while he argues AI adopters grow faster. CNBC

Fill the Void Several methods of minimizing voids are presented. Printing solder paste with gas escape routes is an excellent way to reduce voiding. Technical Paper

Sponsor How to Simplify Solder Paste Printing StikNPeel removable rework stencils simplifies selective printing of solder paste leaving no residue providing cleaner alternative to metal stencils. BEST Inc.

Iran war disrupts the circuit board supply chain, raises costs for tech firms Middle East conflict has disrupted raw material supplies and driven PCB prices sharply higher, squeezing electronics manufacturers already facing rising chip costs. AI server demand, shortages of resin and copper foil, and supply delays have intensified pressure across global electronics supply chains. Investing

Kevin O’Leary Wants to Build a $100 Billion AI Data Center in Utah. Locals Say It Could Drain the Great Salt Lake. Hundreds of Utah residents protested Kevin O’Leary’s proposed $100 billion AI data center despite county approval. Opponents warned the massive project could worsen Great Salt Lake decline, strain water resources, and create toxic dust, while supporters highlighted jobs and national security benefits. Entrepreneur

Artificial Intelligence in Improving Automated Optical Inspection After reviewing the four AI use cases presented in this paper, it is very apparent the overwhelming benefit AI can have with our AOI process and programs. Technical Paper

Sponsor X-Ray Inspection Verifies Quality of Complex PCBs A Netherlands-based PCB supplier relies on real-time X-ray inspection to ensure the quality of HDI, hybrid, multi- layer, flex-rigid & other complex boards. Glenbrook Technologies

A data center used 29 million gallons of water without a bill, while residents complained about low water pressure Fayette County uncovered a major water metering failure after a massive QTS data center campus consumed 29 million unbilled gallons, sparking backlash from residents already facing drought restrictions and exposing how suburban utilities struggle to manage fast-growing industrial data center projects. TechSpot

Scammers are selling fake DDR5 with empty plastic chips relabeled to pass as legit — fake components mounted to PCBs are yet another sign of the RAMpocalypse Scammers are flooding Asian secondhand markets with fake DDR5 memory modules made from hollow plastic chips disguised as Samsung or SK Hynix products. Experts warn PC buyers to avoid suspiciously cheap deals and purchase only from trusted sellers offering returns or refunds. Tom's Hardware

Sponsor Thixotropic, Dual Cure Adhesive Master Bond UV23FLDC-80TK is a dual curing adhesive that withstands rigorous thermal cycling and is suitable for applications where low stress is critical. View full specs. Master Bond

Duracell Vs. Energizer Batteries: Which Last Longer? Duracell and Energizer dominate the disposable battery market, but tests show Energizer Ultimate lithium batteries deliver the longest lifespan, especially in cold weather. Duracell, however, offers steadier power output for high-drain devices, while standard Energizer Max batteries perform similarly at lower cost. BGR

The Best Storage Method to Protect Against Corrosion Which storage method will better protect against corrosion, nitrogen or super dry? You want to do it in compliance with IPC 1602, which covers storage and handling of circuit boards. Board Talk

How Apple Pay Works Apple Pay transformed contactless payments by combining NFC wireless communication with EMV security standards, allowing users to pay without sharing card numbers. The system securely exchanges encrypted credentials between devices, banks, and payment networks in seconds during everyday transactions. TechSpot

Gartner Survey Reveals Marketing Leaders Expect AI Automation of Marketing Work to Double by 2028 Gartner says CMOs expect AI-driven marketing automation to jump from 16% in 2026 to 36% by 2028. Analysts warn that brands relying on limited AI experiments risk falling behind competitors using AI to drive growth, differentiation, and customer trust. Gartner

Sponsor actnano Materials with Nordson Equipment actnano's PFAS-free, cure-free coatings save energy and boost safety. And they are compatible with Nordson conformal coating systems. Upgrade your system today. Learn more! Nordson Electronic Solutions

Wooptix Targets AI Packaging Bottleneck with Astronomy Tech Spain-based Wooptix is adapting astronomy wavefront-sensing technology to help chipmakers measure wafer warpage and topography for advanced AI packaging. The startup aims to solve growing semiconductor manufacturing bottlenecks, but must still prove its reliability and scalability inside high-volume production fabs. EE Times