Jun Young-hyun, head of the Device Solutions (DS) division and vice chairman, said on the 2nd that HBM4 (6th generation) demonstrated differentiated performance competitiveness, earning even the assessment from customers that "Samsung is back," and added that the company will secure leadership in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) based on super-gap technological competitiveness.
Jun said this in a New Year's message posted internally to employees that called for securing super-gap technological competitiveness. He also said, "Over the past year, we achieved results such as the recovery of the HBM business, strengthened foundry (contract semiconductor manufacturing) order-taking activities, and winning global image sensor customers," adding, "But last year's results are only a stepping stone to restoring technological leadership."
He also laid out the direction for the DS division. Jun said, "We are the world's only semiconductor company capable of a 'one-stop solution' that encompasses logic, memory, foundry, and advanced packaging," and added, "Let's lead the AI era with customers while responding to unprecedented AI Semiconductor demand."
He cautioned that although HBM4 is receiving positive reviews from customers, to regain the overwhelming competitive edge of the past, the company must secure momentum for sustainable growth. Analysts say Samsung Electronics entered the HBM3E (5th generation) supply chains of key customers such as Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom last year, and that the outlook for HBM4 supply has also turned green.
He said, "The foundry has entered a full-fledged takeoff period with orders from major global customers," adding, "There are technical shortcomings, but if we raise the completeness of leading-edge process development and identify differentiation points, we can make the coming opportunities ours."
Jun added, "Let's make this the year when System LSI completely transforms its stagnant business competitiveness," and said, "If growth in existing products is stagnating, we must achieve transformation with the mindset of boldly changing even the business model and business scope." He continued, "Based on new growth engines, let's build quickly and create a breakthrough," and "Semiconductor R&D should focus on leading preemptive development for the future."
He said the company must shift from product-centric to customer-oriented in step with the AI era. Jun said, "Supplying advanced products in a timely manner alone will no longer put us ahead," calling it "an era when 'the customer's standards must be our standards.'"
He went on, "In the AI era, the combination of technologies in each field determines value. For a new leap forward, let's bring together the capabilities of the DS division as one," and explained, "To maximize DS's strengths that span logic, memory, foundry, and packaging, close inter-organizational technical collaboration and rapid information sharing are essential." He added, "If problems arise, expose them immediately, revive a culture of early resolution through intense debate regardless of organization or rank, and boldly reduce complex decision-making steps and unnecessary tasks."