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Samsung Electronics posted a record-breaking quarterly profit, fueled by surging demand for AI infrastructure and rising memory chip prices. The global semiconductor leader reported a dramatic increase in earnings, highlighting the growing influence of artificial intelligence on the tech industry.
For the January–March quarter, Samsung’s operating profit soared to 57.2 trillion won ($36.15 billion), a significant jump from 6.69 trillion won a year earlier. The company’s chip division was the primary driver, contributing 53.7 trillion won, up sharply from just 1.1 trillion won in the same period last year. Total revenue also climbed 69% year-over-year to 133.9 trillion won, underscoring strong global demand.
The rapid expansion of AI data centers has intensified the need for advanced memory chips, particularly those used in Nvidia’s AI accelerators. As a result, chipmakers are shifting production capacity toward high-performance components, tightening supply for conventional chips and driving up prices. Samsung expects this trend to continue, noting that demand for server memory will remain robust as enterprises and hyperscalers accelerate AI adoption.
The company also highlighted the growing impact of emerging technologies such as agentic AI and large language models, which are expected to further boost memory chip demand in the second half of the year. Major U.S. tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet have already signaled continued investment in AI, reinforcing Samsung’s positive outlook.
Samsung is also working to close the gap with rival SK Hynix in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market. It recently announced mass production of its HBM4 chips for Nvidia’s next-generation Vera Rubin platform, marking a key milestone in its competitive strategy.
Despite strong chip performance, Samsung’s mobile and network division saw a 35% drop in profit due to higher component costs. Additionally, potential labor strikes in South Korea could disrupt production. Even so, Samsung’s stock has surged 88% this year, reflecting investor confidence in its AI-driven growth trajectory.
