[Gyeongju APEC] Jensen Huang: "Together Through HBM97... Samsung to Manufacture Robot Chips" (Comprehensive)

Nvidia CEO Highlights Partnerships with Samsung and SK
Samsung to Supply HBM4 and Manufacture Robot Chips?
Cooperation Expands Beyond Memory to Foundry Business

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, visited Korea for the first time in 15 years and completed a whirlwind one-night, two-day schedule before departing. He formed what is being called an "AI alliance" with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun over fried chicken and beer, and made a surprise announcement to supply 260,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) worth 14 trillion won to the Korean government and major corporations, elevating Korea's status in the global market to a new level.

He concluded the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit with a special address, after which he met with global media and emphasized, "Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are the world's top companies," pledging to jointly develop not only the next generation but also subsequent generations of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) through long-term partnerships. He specifically revealed plans to expand cooperation, stating that Samsung Electronics would manufacture all of Nvidia's robotics chips.

"Samsung and SK Are the Best in the World... I Hope We Work Together for a Long Time"

Yonhap News

At a press conference held at Wonhwa Hall, Gyeongju Arts Center on the afternoon of the 31st, CEO Jensen Huang said, "Both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix possess outstanding technological capabilities. One is highly specialized, while the other is more diversified." The former refers to SK Hynix, which excels in HBM, and the latter to Samsung Electronics. CEO Huang added, "There are advantages to a focused strategy and also to diversity, but since Nvidia collaborates with both companies, there is no need to choose. For Nvidia to grow, we need all Korean companies."

Nvidia plans to continue expanding its partnerships with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. CEO Huang smiled as he said, "Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are long-term partners, and we will work together on HBM5 and even HBM97."

He reaffirmed plans for mass production of the new AI accelerator "Rubin," raising expectations for the supply of HBM4 from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. He explained, "Rubin will be launched in the second half of next year as scheduled. We have secured the silicon and the system is well-prepared. Production preparations are proceeding smoothly." Currently, the mainstream product in the HBM market is the fifth-generation HBM3E, but with Nvidia set to adopt HBM4 for Rubin starting next year, the market trend is expected to shift.

On this day, Nvidia also announced plans to supply Blackwell GPUs to the government, Samsung Electronics, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver Cloud, indirectly hinting at Samsung Electronics' supply of HBM4.

In a press release, Nvidia stated, "From our initial collaboration equipping Samsung Electronics' DRAM in our first graphics card, the NV1, to our current core supply partnerships for HBM3E and HBM4, we have maintained a strong alliance for over 20 years." This confirms that Samsung is a key partner for HBM4 supply as well. Samsung Electronics has already shipped HBM4 samples to major global clients, including Nvidia.

CEO Huang commented, "Next year's business scale will reach hundreds of billions of dollars. To support Nvidia's business next year, (Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix) must maximize their capabilities and continue to grow."

"Samsung to Manufacture Robot Chips" - Hints at Foundry Cooperation

Earlier, as CEO Huang entered Wonhwa Hall, he was asked about cooperation with Samsung and replied, "Samsung Electronics manufactures all of Nvidia's application processors (APs) for robotics." When further questions were raised at the event regarding production volumes, he simply answered, "We have a brand called Jetson," before moving on.

"Jetson" is Nvidia's robotics chip. Although CEO Huang avoided a detailed answer, his mention of Jetson suggests that Samsung Electronics is involved in its production. This implies that Samsung Electronics is expanding and strengthening its cooperation with Nvidia not only in memory but also in the foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) sector.

Meanwhile, CEO Jensen Huang concluded all his engagements in Korea with this press conference and departed via Pohang Airport. The next destination for this "AI superstar" has been identified as London Luton Airport in the United Kingdom.