[Reporter's Notebook] 'Samsung Electronics' Disappears from Jensen Huang's Remarks

Jensen Huang and Nvidia Ignite Taipei
Samsung Left Out, Not Mentioned in Future Plans
Computex Becomes a Celebration for Taiwanese Companies
A Lesson for Korea: The Results of Mutual Investment in Growth

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, recently stated at the GTC Taipei Global Conference in Taiwan, "Nvidia has no choice but to use TSMC's packaging technology (CoWos)." This was his response to a question about the growing importance of advanced packaging technology and the competitiveness of Samsung Electronics' technology. During the 'Computex' exhibition, none of the blueprints presented by CEO Huang mentioned Samsung Electronics.

Taipei has been abuzz with Computex, Asia's largest IT exhibition, held from May 20 to May 23. In particular, every statement and action by CEO Jensen Huang after his arrival in Taiwan has drawn attention. He called for "Team Taiwan," emphasizing unity among Taiwanese artificial intelligence (AI) companies. This is a stark contrast to last year and earlier this year, when he mentioned and praised Samsung Electronics in the United States.

No one expects him to go out of his way to praise a Korean company while in Taiwan. However, for business leaders, every word is part of a strategy, and even what is left unsaid can send a message. CEO Huang, who has not hesitated to praise Taiwanese companies such as TSMC, Foxconn, and MediaTek, remained silent about Samsung. This silence is therefore interpreted as an even clearer message. At the very least, it suggests that Samsung Electronics does not have a place in Nvidia's future plans.

After observing Computex for five days and four nights, it was clear that the event was more than just a technology exhibition. It served as a symbolic stage to confirm who is leading the AI ecosystem and who the strategic partners are.

Taiwan has long established itself as a semiconductor and electronics hub centered around TSMC. TSMC supported Nvidia's growth during difficult times by supplying wafers at low prices, and Nvidia has since risen to become a global leader in the AI era. Companies such as MediaTek and Realtek, which TSMC helped during those years, have now all become part of the "Nvidia ecosystem." This is the result of a partnership in which both sides invested in each other's growth, rather than a simple customer relationship.

What about Korea? Samsung Electronics remains dominant. However, it is difficult to find AI startups that have grown alongside Samsung. While K-startups such as DeepX, Nota, FuriosaAI, and Rebellions are gaining global attention, there is still a lack of strong support or strategic collaboration from large corporations within the industry. Large companies are still focused on maintaining their own positions, while startups are forced to compete on their own.

Taiwan and Korea are similar in many ways, as both are countries that have strived to compete with technology from the periphery of the global stage. In Taiwan, where small and medium-sized enterprises were long at the center, TSMC laid the foundation, and Nvidia, which grew on top of that, built the "Taiwan Fortress." Amid seismic shifts in the supply chain, Samsung, as a large corporation, cannot continue to fight alone forever. There is a need for leadership that seeks co-growth with outstanding startups and, furthermore, aims to build an independent ecosystem.