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Wednesday: AMD profits surge on AI boom, mobile operators warn of extreme weather

ChipsNovember 4, 20261 min read

AMD reported strong quarterly growth thanks to demand for AI data-center chips, while the mobile industry group GSMA warned that extreme weather is a growing risk for phone networks. The article also covers Germany's upcoming digital driver's licence and an EU court opinion on AI chatbots and copyright.

AMD profits jump on AI demand

AMD, a chipmaker, reported higher sales and roughly doubled profits in the third quarter. The big gain came from server products, which are used in AI data centers. Sales in its gaming business fell. Because AMD's CEO Lisa Su promised enough AI chips in the future, the company's stock rose a little.

Key numbers

AMD's profits roughly doubled compared with a year earlier.
Server product sales nearly tripled.
Gaming sales, such as graphics cards and console chips, fell clearly.
Sales of Ryzen laptop processors rose.

Warning about weather and phone networks

The mobile industry group GSMA says extreme weather, such as storms and floods, puts phone networks at growing risk. It asks governments and regulators to work more closely with phone companies to protect key communication systems.

Digital driver's licence coming in November

Germany's transport ministry says the digital driver's licence will launch at the end of November, earlier than expected. There is no exact date yet. People will not need a new app. The licence will be stored in the existing i-Kfz app, which already holds the vehicle registration document.

Why it matters

AMD's results show how much AI is driving the chip market. The weather warning shows that phone networks need protection from climate change, and the cost of that protection is expected to rise. The digital licence could make everyday life easier for drivers in Germany.

Glossary

AMD: A chip company that makes processors and AI chips for computers and servers.
GSMA: An industry group of mobile phone companies that works with governments on mobile policy.
Ryzen: AMD's brand of processors used in laptops and desktop computers.

AMD on track to overtake Intel as biggest x86 outfit

AMD has forecast higher revenue than Intel for its next quarter, which could make it the largest vendor whose main product is x86 processors for the first time. Its Q3 2026 revenue rose 45 percent year-over-year to $13.4 billion, led by a 97 percent jump in Data Center segment revenue to $8.5 billion. CEO Lisa Su said the company's supply chain can meet expected demand in 2027.

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Data centers are turning to old jet engines as the wait for power grows

Some AI data centers, facing years-long waits for grid connections and new turbines, are generating their own electricity with retired jet engines rebuilt to burn natural gas, according to the New York Times. Analysts say the engines can get a data center running in about 24 months, versus roughly seven years to hook up 100 megawatts to the grid in Northern Virginia. The engines are less efficient and pollute more than conventional gas-plant turbines, so some experts see them as a short-term solution.

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28 nm Security Chip Developed by Vietnamese Engineers

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Amicro Helped Robot Vacuums Find Their Way. Now It Wants to Go Further.

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