Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix committed Wednesday to supply memory chips for OpenAI’s data centers, marking a substantial escalation in the artificial intelligence arms race that could strain global semiconductor capacity.
The Korean chipmakers signed letters of intent following meetings in Seoul between OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman, President Lee Jae Myung, and company chairmen. The agreements center on the $500 billion Stargate project, a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle that aims to construct AI infrastructure worldwide by decade’s end.
OpenAI’s anticipated demand could reach 900,000 DRAM wafers monthly—potentially consuming 40% of projected global output and worth more than 100 trillion won ($70 billion), according to analysts. SK Group noted this would exceed twice the current industry capacity for high-bandwidth memory chips.
The partnerships extend beyond chip supply. Samsung SDS will handle data center operations, while Samsung Heavy Industries and Samsung C&T plan to develop floating offshore facilities. SK Telecom will explore building a domestic data center branded “Stargate Korea.”
Samsung and SK together control roughly 70% of the global DRAM market and nearly 80% of the high-bandwidth memory segment, giving them considerable leverage as hyperscalers scramble for supply. However, investors remain concerned about potential overbuilding in AI infrastructure, with SoftBank’s CFO acknowledging project delays in August due to protracted negotiations.
