Samsung commits $90bn to expand manufacturing sites for AI era

(Sharecast News) - Samsung Group on Thursday unveiled details of a 140trn won ($90bn) investment in domestic manufacturing over the next decade as it beefs up its production of hardware and chips to bolster South Korea's position as an "industrial powerhouse". The manufacturing facilities, located in the central Chungcheong provinces, will produce display panels, batteries, chips and chip materials.

Nearly half of the spend will go to Samsung Display, with KRW67trn for the production of display panels for the comapny's phones, tablets, in-car infotainment systems, wearables and humanoid robots.

Some KRW56trn will be spent on next-gen HBM chip production and related equipment, while KRW9trn will be deployed to its battery technologies and KRW8trn to its FC-BGA package substrates for AI server chips.

Speaking at an event in Asan hosted by the company's president Lee Jae Myung, chairman Jay Y Lee said the future of the AI era "depends on the materials and components that power AI, and this is directly linked to Samsung's future," according to translations by Seoul Economic Daily.

"This is a decisive moment when the landscape of the global economy is shaking. Samsung will bring together all its capabilities and make an all-out effort to help Korea leap forward as an industrial powerhouse with an insurmountable technological edge."