ASML has shifted its outlook on artificial intelligence, now expecting AI to be the primary driver of product sales rather than just a limited contributor. The Dutch semiconductor equipment giant previously believed AI would only fuel a small portion of demand across its customer base, but CEO Christophe Fouquet said in the annual report that significant new AI demand is now driving capacity build-up.

This marks a major strategic pivot for ASML, the world's largest maker of lithography gear used in manufacturing high-end chips. The company now anticipates continued growth in the semiconductor market driven by strong demand for AI logic and memory products, along with high pricing resulting from supply-demand imbalances. Full-year sales jumped 15.6% to 32.7 billion euros in 2025, while gross profit margin edged up to 52.8%.

ASML's backlog currently stands at a healthy 38.8 billion euros, though the company grappled with geopolitical uncertainty and fluctuating tariff negotiations in 2025. Despite a projected slowdown in global GDP growth to 3.2%, very high growth in AI chip demand drove the overall semiconductor market to double-digit expansion. The company emphasized that access to cutting-edge chips has become increasingly crucial for countries seeking technological leadership and security, suggesting the semiconductor industry's importance will only grow.