May 28, 2026

Sam Altman is "Delighted" His AI Jobs Apocalypse Prediction was Wrong OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said AI has not triggered the mass job losses he once predicted, admitting his warnings about white-collar disruption overstated short-term impacts. He and Dario Amodei now emphasize productivity gains despite ongoing AI-linked tech layoffs. TechSpot

Sponsor Master Circuit Board Repair with Proven Industry Techniques From troubleshooting damage to performing complex rework, having the right process matters. This guidebook features 100+ repair and rework procedures. Circuit Technology Center

Three Signals Shaping the Next Era of the Electronics Industry AI is reshaping electronics manufacturing, data infrastructure, and semiconductor packaging as Asia strengthens its role in global supply chains. Industry leaders now compete by integrating resilient manufacturing, trusted AI data flows, and advanced chip ecosystems. Global Electronics Association

Optimizing BGA Rework: Challenges, Techniques and Quality Control The complexity of BGA packages introduces challenges during rework requiring innovative methods and inspection practices to ensure performance and reliability. This paper outlines best practices for removing and replacing BGAs. Technical Paper

Dell wins a $9.7 billion Pentagon software deal after cozying up to Trump US Department of Defense awards Dell a five-year, $9.7 billion contract to supply Microsoft software, cloud services, and licensing. The deal streamlines Pentagon IT procurement, consolidates systems across agencies, and is expected to save about $422 million annually. CNBC

Sponsor Gripping Systems from micro assembly to heavy lifting The first industrial-suited grippers from SCHUNK were a milestone. Since then we have brought countless newly and further developments to market. SCHUNK

CEOs Are Blaming AI for Layoffs. Nvidia's Jensen Huang Says That's a 'Lazy' Excuse. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports 49,135 job cuts this year tied to AI, with 55,000 in 2025. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang criticizes leaders for blaming AI, calling the narrative lazy and urging more balanced, responsible communication about its impact. Entrepreneur

Seeking Alternatives to Solvent Cleaning We are using a mix of trichloroethylene and IPA for cleaning in the ratio of 10 to 90. We are looking to eliminate the use of trichloroethylene. Board Talk

Technical Papers ■ Digital Warehouse Automation in High-Mix PCB Assembly ■ 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 MORE TECHNICAL PAPERS

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Canada's University of Saskatchewan Acquires Quantum Computer USask's new full-stack quantum computer will accelerate research across agriculture, energy, health and defense, enabling vaccine discovery, grid optimization and quantum encryption studies while strengthening collaboration and its quantum role. EE Times

China's New Lithium-Metal Battery Claims Double The Energy Density On A 3-Minute Charge Chinese researchers created a solid-state lithium-metal battery delivering 451.5Wh/kg energy density, three-minute charging, and stable operation over 700 cycles. The advance addresses major battery hurdles and could extend EV range, speed charging, and improve safety. BGR

Conformal Coatings - New Solutions to Existing Problems This paper describes work carried out by Humiseal to investigate root causes of these problems, and to introduce materials with improved performance. Technical Paper

Sponsor Neutral Cleaning Tests. Reliable Decisions. Compare cleaning systems for PCBAs independently and test under production-like conditions. Receive validated results and expert guidance. Request your cleaning tests now. ZESTRON Europe

Smartphone shipments face worst decline ever: memory crisis and US-Iran war hit market IDC forecasts global smartphone shipments will plunge 13.9% in 2026, the market’s steepest decline, as AI-driven memory shortages and the US-Iran war raise shipping costs. Vendors are cutting supply, hiking prices and prioritizing premium phones. TechSpot

Amazon starts selling its AI shopping technology to other retailers Amazon is licensing its Alexa for Shopping AI technology to retailers, letting them launch branded shopping assistants within 60 days. The move expands Amazon's push to power AI commerce infrastructure while competing with OpenAI, Google and other retail-focused AI platforms. CNBC

Effects of Mixing Solder Sphere Alloys with Bismuth-Based Pastes In this paper, the effect of mixing solder sphere alloys with Bi-based solder pastes on the component reliability in accelerated thermal cycling is studied. Technical Paper

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Gartner Survey Finds Consumers Want AI Shopping Help, But Not AI Purchase Decisions Gartner found consumers remain cautious about agentic commerce, with only 11% willing to let AI make purchase decisions. Shoppers prefer AI tools that support research, compare prices and narrow options, while concerns about accuracy, trust & transparency continue limiting adoption. Garter

Necessity is the Mother of Invention: Huawei Replaces Moore's Law With Her's Law At IEEE ISCAS 2026 in Shanghai, Huawei president He Tingbo unveiled Her's Law as an alternative to Moore's Law, pushing 3D stacking LogicFolding and τ scaling to bypass EUV sanctions, targeting 14Å-equivalent performance by 2031 through hybrid bonding advances. EE Times

Sponsor Introducing our new Board to Board Connectors These new Board to Board Connectors feature pitch sizes from 0.50 mm to 1.00 mm with multi-pitch and custom pitch designs available. Designed for long-life applications and robust handling. Advanced Interconnections Corp

Seeing a Problem, Building a Solution: The ChipHub Story After decades in semiconductor sourcing, Aftab Farooqi launched ChipHub, an AI-native platform that helps hardware OEMs streamline supplier discovery, component evaluation, and procurement workflows while combining automation with human expertise. Global Electronics Association

Hot Air BGA Rework with a Touchless Temperature-Dependent Process The goal of this paper is to share complex rework process improvements to review and consider how incorporating into their practice can provide benefit. Technical Paper

Taiwan smartphone shipments fell nearly 4% in April as component costs push prices higher Taiwan's smartphone shipments dropped in April 2026 as seasonal demand cooled and higher component costs lifted handset prices. Mobile channels shipped 402,000 units, prompting cautious inventory control amid consumer spending across the market. Digitimes

European companies double down on China manufacturing despite EU de-risking push European firms are strengthening manufacturing ties with China, as most maintain or expand operations despite trade tensions. An EU Chamber survey cites automation, low costs and China's industrial scale as key drivers of supply chain reliance. CNBC

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From Shrinking Transistors to Compressing Time: Deciphering Huawei's τ Law Huawei argues chip innovation is moving beyond geometric scaling under its τ law, using LogicFolding and system-level redesign to cut RC delay and interconnect latency. The approach delivers major speed and efficiency gains without advanced nodes. EE Times