- Memoranda to strengthen the supply of advanced memory and evaluate AI data centers in South Korea.
- Target of 900.000 DRAM wafers per month, about 39% of estimated global capacity.
- Stargate is backed by partners such as SoftBank, Oracle, and MGX with a $500.000 billion plan.
- Strong stock market reaction and focus on HBM; analysts predict a boost to the supply chain.
The South Korean capital has been the scene of a round of meetings in which OpenAI, Samsung, and SK Hynix have aligned interests for their data center mega-initiative, known as Stargate.In these contacts, a goal was set down in writing that stands out for its magnitude: to produce up to 900.000 DRAM wafers per month and strengthen the construction of AI infrastructure in the country.
The parties describe the package as a combination of preliminary memory supply agreements and new site assessments. The message is clear: South Korea aims to establish itself among the leaders in artificial intelligence.While OpenAI seeks ensure industrial and energy capacity for their upcoming models.
A production target that can strain the memory chain
Wafers are silicon discs on which chips are manufactured; from each one, numerous circuits which end up being high-performance DRAM modules or HBM stacks for servers and data centers.
The bar set contrasts with the current market. Industry estimates place global 300mm DRAM wafer capacity at around 2,07 million per month by 2024., having a rise to 2,25 million in 2025Reaching 900.000 would be equivalent to about 39% of all that capacity, a scale that no individual manufacturer covers on its own and which illustrates the ambition of the plan.
The difference between inference and training helps to understand the figure. To to train new generation models Thousands of accelerators are grouped together, each accompanied by large amounts of fast memory, as well as large-scale cooling and electrical power systems. Hence, Ensuring wafer supply does not seem excessive, but rather a requirement for the next wave of models.
At the same time, the industry points out that Demand linked to Stargate could far exceed HBM's current global capacity., strengthening the leadership of large producers and encouraging the entire value chain to invest.
Memoranda, actors involved and new centers in Korea
The signed documents include Initial commitments to expand memory production and evaluate new infrastructure in South KoreaIn that regard, Samsung SDS would participate in data center development, while Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries would study design and construction. The Ministry of Science and ICT is considering locations outside the Seoul metropolitan area, and SK Telecom has agreed to analyze a site in the southwest of the country.
In parallel, both companies are considering integrating Chat GPT Enterprise and API capabilities in their operations to optimize workflows and drive internal innovation.
El The Stargate project is supported by an alliance with SoftBank, Oracle and the investment firm MGX., which contemplates allocating $500.000 million by 2029 AI infrastructure, with a focus on the United States and collateral effects on ecosystems such as the South Korean one.
It is worth emphasizing that these are, for now, letters of intent and memoranda: the ambition is high, but Key details remain to be finalizedThe risks are not insignificant: potential HBM/DRAM bottlenecks, multi-gigawatt power requirements, permitting, and project coordination with multiple stakeholders.
OpenAI's computing muscle and strategic shift
OpenAI has been forging alliances to increase its computing capacity. With Oracle and SoftBank, it is preparing several large-scale data centers that would contribute gigawatts of power, while NVIDIA has announced investments of up to $100.000 billion and access to more than 10 GW through its training systems.
The relationship with Microsoft has been decisive: initial disbursements of 1.000 billion and subsequent 10.000 billion gave access to Azure, key to training models that drove the rise of ChatGPT. Now, OpenAI is moving toward infrastructures with greater direct control to reduce dependence on a single provider.
The South Korean ecosystem is also exploring novel formulas with OpenAI, from design collaborations to concepts such as floating data centers, with the aim of accelerating the implementation of resilient and efficient infrastructures.
The market reacted with significant increases following the announcements: Samsung rose around 4%-5% to multi-year highsWhile SK Hynix rebounded nearly 10% and the KOSPI index surpassed 3.500 points for the first time. time. Together, the moves added tens of billions to its capitalization.
Industry analysts believe that Stargate's push would allay fears of an imminent price crash in HBM memory and could act as a catalyst for equipment suppliers such as ASML, given the high demand for advanced memory chips.
The panorama that opens combines industrial ambition and operational prudenceThe memos outline a roadmap that, if implemented, would secure OpenAI a wealth of memory and new facilities in South Korea, while Samsung and SK Hynix would strengthen their role in the global AI race, all of this depending on how production capacity, available energy, and regulatory pace evolve.
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