Chey Tae-won: "Hundreds of billions of dollars to be invested in AI"... U.S. investment also under review

[Financial News, New York = Lee Byung-chul correspondent]Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, outlined a plan to invest tens of trillions of won not only in memory semiconductors but across the broader artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. His strategy is to expand investment into AI data centers, technologies, and startups in a bid to secure leadership in the AI era.
In an interview with CNBC in the United States on the 10th local time, Chey said, "We are considering various forms of investment, including AI, AI data centers, AI technologies, startups, and joint ventures with partners." He added, "We expect investments worth tens of billions of dollars to materialize soon."
He dismissed recent claims that high bandwidth memory (HBM) has already peaked, saying, "Given the structure of AI demand, it is not something to worry about."
He said, "All customers want more volume." He added, "We plan to double production capacity this year and next year, but requests keep coming in for more supply, not only of HBM but also of standard DRAM." He continued, "As the number of people using AI is rising much faster than expected, token generation is also surging." He stressed, "The pace of market expansion is far faster than competitive variables."
He also pushed back against investor concerns in the U.S. stock market about a possible semiconductor peak, saying, "In the AI era, the demand structure itself is different." He explained, "In the past, semiconductor demand was driven by PC and smartphone sales, but now AI services require massive amounts of memory on an ongoing basis." He added, "Even after announcing plans to double production capacity within five years, customers are saying that will not be enough."
He also left open the possibility of additional investment in the United States. SK hynix, which is currently investing $4 billion in an AI memory packaging plant in Indiana, is also internally reviewing the construction of a semiconductor fabrication plant.
Chey said, "If the right location and conditions are in place, additional investment in the United States is possible."
He also emphasized the significance of the Nasdaq listing. He said, "Gaining direct access to global capital markets is extremely meaningful," adding that it would also be an important opportunity to attract global talent and broaden the investor base.
He went on to say, "When we acquired Hynix 15 years ago, it felt like a dream, but now that dream has become reality." He added, "This listing is a historic moment for both SK and Hynix."


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