SK Group and Nvidia have announced a comprehensive partnership valued at more than $500 billion, spanning AI factory construction and next-generation memory supply, with letters of intent signed at an AI summit on Thursday.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and a delegation of the country's most powerful business leaders convened with NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang in Silicon Valley this week, in a series of meetings and public appearances that cast Korea as a cornerstone of the global AI infrastructure push.
AI infrastructure investment is reaching unprecedented levels, with estimates showing it will lift global semiconductor output past US$1 trillion in 2026, four years earlier than previously expected, and expand the market to US$1.5 trillion by 2030. SEMI Global Chief Marketing Officer Terry Tsao said nearly 89 fabs are in the planning or construction pipeline for 2026-2030 to meet surging AI chip demand, with another 50 fabs expected to be planned for 2030-2035.
Rapidus is treating advanced packaging as a central part of its 2nm foundry strategy, not a downstream assembly service. The Japanese chipmaker aims to connect design enablement, front-end wafer processing, chiplet integration, packaging, testing and manufacturing data through its Innovative Integration for Manufacturing (IIM-1) model.
Taiwan's semiconductor industry is expanding overseas while deepening cooperation with the US, Europe, and Asia across advanced packaging, AI infrastructure, research, talent, cybersecurity, and international standards.
Huaqin Technology, the world's largest consumer-electronics original design manufacturer, has again increased its stake in Chinese foundry Nexchip Semiconductor, underscoring how contract manufacturers increasingly view direct ownership of chip capacity as central to supply-chain security rather than a purely financial bet.
The pace of NAND Flash price increases has moderated in the second half of 2026, prompting speculation that the memory market may be approaching a turning point. Supply-chain sources, however, say the market is entering a high-price plateau rather than a downturn, with tight supply expected to persist even as higher procurement costs dampen spot-market activity.
Hisense outlined a broader AI strategy at its global partner conference in New York, saying it will expand beyond home appliances into semiconductors, smart energy, laser displays, and automotive electronics. The Chinese consumer electronics maker said the plan is designed to widen its AI value chain, strengthen global brand management, and improve user experience and operations.
Memory module maker Transcend Information posted record-high profit in the second quarter and first half of 2026. Second-quarter consolidated revenue reached NT$18.82 billion (approx. US$581.96 million), up 38.1% from the previous quarter, while gross margin rose to 77.3%. Operating profit increased 44.4% sequentially to NT$14.13 billion, and net income after tax increased 46.5% sequentially to NT$11.9 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) reached NT$27.70, with single-quarter profit significantly outperforming the company's full-year earnings in any previous year.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung launched an AI-focused visit to Silicon Valley by announcing a "San Francisco AI Declaration" aimed at promoting international cooperation in artificial intelligence, while a series of technology partnerships involving Nvidia, South Korean companies and US firms were announced alongside the visit, according to The Chosun Daily, Reuters, and Bloomberg.
South Korean President Jae Myung Lee, senior government officials, business executives, and researchers gathered in San Francisco this week for an AI summit with Nvidia and industry partners, highlighting South Korea's efforts to strengthen its artificial intelligence ecosystem and expand international collaboration.
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