[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group, met with Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, in Silicon Valley to discuss cooperation in next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors, industry sources said.

The meeting took place on August 5 (local time) in Santa Clara, California. The two leaders are believed to have exchanged views on supply plans for sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), which will be used in Nvidia’s next-generation AI accelerator, Vera Rubin, as well as broader mid- to long-term collaboration in AI-related businesses.

The talks come as competition in the global AI semiconductor market intensifies around next-generation HBM. Nvidia dominates the AI accelerator market, while SK hynix is its largest supplier of HBM. Industry observers see the meeting as a signal that SK hynix aims to maintain its position as Nvidia’s key partner in the HBM4 era.

SK hynix has said it is proceeding with HBM4 mass production according to customer timelines, noting that while it is expanding capacity, surging demand could open the door for rival suppliers. Samsung Electronics is also expected to begin supplying HBM4 soon, intensifying competition. Even so, analysts forecast SK hynix could command up to 70% market share in HBM4 this year.

The discussions are believed to have extended beyond HBM to include next-generation server memory modules such as SOCAMM, NAND flash, and cooperation in AI data center infrastructure. As AI performance increasingly depends on memory architecture, power efficiency, and system-level design, closer collaboration across memory and infrastructure is becoming critical.

The meeting aligns with SK Group’s strategy to evolve into a comprehensive AI solutions provider. SK hynix has repositioned its U.S.-based NAND subsidiary Solidigm as an “AI company,” while Chey has emphasized expanding beyond memory supply into end-to-end AI infrastructure solutions.

Chey’s ongoing engagements with major U.S. technology firms further underscore the significance of the talks. Since September last year, he has served as chairman of SK Americas and chairman of SK hynix America, overseeing the group’s North American operations and strategic partnerships within the global AI ecosystem.

 

 

 

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