Seoul: Kwak Noh-jung, chief executive officer (CEO) of SK hynix Inc., has emphasized the need to enhance global competitiveness amidst record-breaking earnings, asserting that the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) will become a "permanent factor" in the semiconductor market.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kwak stated in a New Year's message to employees that the unexpected rise in AI demand is now a constant element rather than a temporary boost, with competition in the sector intensifying. SK hynix's third-quarter performance highlighted this trend, as the company reported an operating profit exceeding 10 trillion won (US$6.92 billion), driven by strong results in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) segment. This achievement marked the first time the South Korean chipmaker recorded a quarterly operating profit above this threshold.
Kwak urged SK hynix to embrace new challenges based on last year's achievements, highlighting the evolving market expectations as the company leads in key areas. "To become a true full-stack AI memory creator, we must innovate beyond existing frameworks and deliver the value most needed by our customers in a creative manner," Kwak concluded.