[Inside Chodong] "Audience Intelligence (AI): Only Companies That Listen Will Survive"

"Leaders do not have the right to speak. They must only listen."

A professor specializing in semiconductors described SK Hynix's meeting culture in this way. In certain meetings, only team members-not the team leader-are given the opportunity to speak. The leader focuses solely on listening and practices paying attention to whatever is said, no matter what. The professor analyzed that this 'leadership of attentive listening' is the driving force behind SK Hynix's competitive edge in semiconductor technology.

"Difficulties and diverse ideas encountered during the development process rise from the bottom up, and a culture of consistently listening to these voices has accumulated over time, leading to the emergence of advanced memory technologies such as High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)."

Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee (left), Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun are taking a commemorative photo after a 'chimaek' gathering at a chicken restaurant in Samseong-dong, Seoul on the evening of the 30th. 2025.10.30 Photo by Jo Yongjun

It is within these hierarchy-free conversations that advancements in high-performance semiconductor technology have been achieved. The professor's analysis-that the power of technology begins not with blueprints but with listening-was a refreshing revelation. It also prompted a reconsideration of what technology truly means.

Recent changes at Samsung Electronics offer similar insights. After once faltering in HBM quality assessments, Samsung returned to the center of technological innovation by adopting a listening posture-focusing precisely on what customers genuinely need. After repeatedly falling short in quality evaluations by its largest client, Nvidia, Samsung set aside its pride as the global leader and humbled itself before its customer. The company completely overhauled its previous DRAM design approach, which it had been most confident in, and reengineered its technology to align with the client's requirements. Instead of clinging to a sense of being "the best," Samsung shifted toward listening anew to customer demands.

Each time a new model was developed, Samsung visited Nvidia headquarters multiple times to solicit feedback. Rather than simply selling finished products, they embarked on the development journey together. Technology was redesigned with the customer at its core. As a result, Samsung officially secured HBM3E supply deals and even obtained a commitment for HBM4 supply. The recovery of technological competitiveness ultimately began with the restoration of communication. This is not an easy feat. However, listening to and serving customer needs is never something to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it most clearly reveals the very reason for a company's existence-because technology and products are ultimately completed in the hands of the customer.

The importance of this "ability to listen and understand" is not limited to the semiconductor industry. Especially in times like now, when the entire industrial landscape is rapidly changing, the ability to read market trends and detect signals of change becomes even more critical. In an era when technological trends are in flux and consumer standards are shifting quickly, companies that break through limitations and share aspirations with customers-rather than stubbornly insisting on having the right answers-will take the lead.

Companies that set their own answers simply because they have much to protect will find it difficult to achieve change and growth. The professor's point-that even at the cutting edge of technology, the ability to listen is crucial-remains valid because, across all industries today, the capacity for acceptance, or an "open posture," is more essential than ever. The fundamental question to ask in today's industrial environment is not "How far ahead is our technology?" but "Is our technology heading in the direction our customers want?" Only companies that do not remain inward-looking, but instead engage in dialogue with the outside world and draw in new perspectives, will possess future competitiveness. Audience Intelligence (AI)-only companies that listen will survive.