SK hynix (000660.KS) announced Tuesday it will establish a new entity tentatively named "AI Company" in the United States, the heart of the artificial intelligence industry, declaring its ambition to become a leader in the global AI data center ecosystem.
The establishment reflects a strategic move to respond swiftly to the rapidly changing AI semiconductor market. SK hynix presented a blueprint to invest $10 billion (approximately 14.3 trillion won) in promising local AI companies and evolve beyond a simple manufacturer into a comprehensive AI solutions provider, leveraging its unrivaled high bandwidth memory (HBM) technology. The company plans to transform into a "creator" within the AI ecosystem by providing solutions that overcome memory bottlenecks that slow down computational processing, pushing the limits of AI performance.
The new entity will serve as the control tower overseeing SK hynix's AI business and investments in the United States.
The entity will be established by reorganizing Solidigm, its existing NAND flash subsidiary. The structure involves converting the US-based Solidigm entity into AI Company, a firm specializing in investment and solutions, while transferring the existing solid-state drive (SSD) business to a newly established subsidiary. The new subsidiary will inherit the Solidigm name to maintain business continuity.
The new entity's role is divided into two main pillars. First is close engagement with AI chip manufacturers in the United States. Beyond Nvidia, its largest customer, the company is expected to strengthen cooperation with big tech firms developing their own chips, including Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The AI semiconductor market has recently seen surging demand for custom application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The local entity will serve as a gateway for understanding customer requirements in real time and providing optimized memory solutions. The focus will particularly be on securing architecture and software capabilities for optimization at the AI system level.
The company will also significantly expand its AI ecosystem investment reach. SK hynix has faced constraints on investment activities due to domestic fair trade regulations. Under current law, SK hynix, as a subsidiary of a holding company's subsidiary, must hold 100% equity to invest in domestic companies, making minority stake investments in promising startups virtually impossible. The US entity will be free from such regulations, enabling flexible equity investments in local startups and venture companies with innovative technologies.
Existing US investment assets are also expected to be reorganized under the new entity. SK hynix currently holds a 6.79% stake in SiFive, an open-source-based fabless semiconductor design startup, and a 97.39% stake in Gauss Labs, an industrial AI solutions company. SK hynix America, which handles semiconductor sales and research and development in the US, is also expected to generate synergies with the new entity.
SK hynix plans to contribute a total of $10 billion (approximately 14.3 trillion won) according to AI Company's funding requests. The contribution will not be paid in full upfront but held as reserve funds, with capital to be paid through capital calls as suitable investment targets emerge and cash is actually needed. "We have sufficient contribution capacity from a financial soundness perspective and plan to operate flexibly according to circumstances," the company said.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won will also accelerate hands-on management in line with the entity's establishment. Chairman Chey will embark on an extended business trip to the United States next month. He will visit Silicon Valley for successive meetings with big tech executives, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. He is expected to focus on discovering new investment opportunities and strengthening global partnerships across AI, semiconductors, and platforms. The final leg of the trip will be Washington, D.C., where Chairman Chey will attend the Trans-Pacific Dialogue (TPD) 2026.
SK hynix will continue domestic investments separately from this overseas investment. The company plans to proceed without delay on investments to strengthen domestic semiconductor industry competitiveness, including the Yongin semiconductor cluster development and the recently announced Cheongju P&T7 investment. The company believes the global network and technology cooperation experience built through AI Company will serve as an asset for expanding the Korean industry's presence in the global AI market. The official name of AI Company will be announced at its February launch. It will initially start with interim management and later be composed of executives centered on US-based experts.
