삼성전자의 거대한 파동: 파운드리 잔혹사와 AI 시대의 새로운 승부수 > K-wave Trends

The biggest concern of Samsung Electronics' foundry division is the gap between reality, as evidenced by numbers, and expectations for the future. As President Han Jin-man mentioned in a recent management status briefing, the foundry division is expected to turn into a surplus next year, but it is highly likely that it will still not be able to completely escape the shackles of deficit due to the accounting variable called special performance bonus. This goes beyond a simple business operation problem and suggests complex structural dynamics within Samsung's DS division, where the performance of the highly profitable memory division is transferred to the cost burden of the foundry division. The management sees 2028 as the first year of actual surplus, and to this end, its top priority is to overcome mobile-centric limitations and improve the company's technology to increase technological completeness. Ultimately, the fact that management acknowledges responsibility for the deficit and strengthens internal solidarity shows that the current suffering is an essential rite of passage for future competitiveness.

Even in this deficit situation, Samsung Electronics' progress in the next-generation AI market is enough to attract market attention. In particular, it is very encouraging that the introduction of Samsung's 2-nano process is being discussed for the production of 'Ice Fish', Google's next-generation tensor processing unit (TPU). With TSMC's production capacity reaching its limit, it is an unprecedented opportunity for Samsung as big tech companies, including Google, seek to diversify their supply chain. The 'Turnkey strategy', which goes beyond simply producing chips and includes core die production connecting HBM and the main processor and cutting-edge packaging, is a card that can maximize Samsung's unrivaled comprehensive semiconductor capabilities. By winning major contracts one after another, such as receiving orders for Tesla's AI6 chips and installing the Nvidia platform, Samsung is solidifying its position as a strong challenger that can shake up TSMC's monopoly in the foundry market.

Separate from the race toward business performance, the regional investment that Samsung Electronics is pursuing and the transparency of corporate governance pose challenges at another level. The expansion of the semiconductor packaging plant, which is being promoted while considering Saemangeum and Gwangju, is also a point where the two values ​​of balanced national development and corporate efficiency collide. Companies emphasize economic logic considering long-term scalability and infrastructure, but the challenge of selecting the optimal location amid investment pressure from the political world remains the responsibility of the company and shareholders. In addition, the prosecution's search and seizure on suspicion of use of undisclosed information during the acquisition of Rainbow Robotics is sounding the alarm about moral hazard and control systems within Samsung. This incident clearly shows that in order for aggressive investments in innovative technologies to shine, they must be supported by appropriate transparent and fair management ethics.

Meanwhile, the collaborative network with global AI leaders serves as a key axis in Samsung's future strategy. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's postponement of his visit to Korea postponed the Stargate project-related discussions with Samsung executives that had been scheduled for a while, but the will for cooperation between Samsung and OpenAI remains valid. Samsung Electronics has already established itself as an essential supplier in the high-performance AI chip market based on the world's best memory technology, and executives, including Chairman Lee Jae-yong, hold a key link in the global supply chain through trusting relationships with major big tech leaders. This network goes beyond a simple business partnership and is the result of Samsung's will to lead the hardware standard in the AI ​​era. In the upcoming AI semiconductor war, how organically Samsung operates the triangle of memory, foundry, and packaging will determine its success or failure over the next 10 years.