June 18, it was reported that Samsung Electronics (KRX: 005930) management has decided to invest in graphics processing units (GPUs), marking Samsung's expansion into new domains beyond traditional storage and semiconductor manufacturing. While specific investment details have not been disclosed, this decision has sparked speculation about Samsung's enhanced competitiveness in the GPU sector.

According to Samsung Electronics governance reports, the board approved a "GPU investment proposal" in March. Board members included Han Jong-hee, head of the Device Experience (DX) division, as well as presidents from the Mobile Experience (MX) and Memory Business departments. This marks Samsung's first public decision to invest in GPUs since 2012.

Industry sources suggest that this investment strategy may be part of Samsung's innovation in semiconductor processes rather than solely focused on GPU development or manufacturing. At the March 2024 GTC Conference, Samsung announced a partnership with NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) to develop AI-based digital twins, aiming for full automation of semiconductor factories by 2030.

Samsung's new High Performance Computing (HPC) center in Hwaseong, expected to be completed in April 2024, will be equipped with numerous servers and networking equipment, highlighting significant investment in GPUs.

On June 4, it was reported that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang mentioned during a COMPUTEX briefing that NVIDIA is evaluating high-bandwidth memory (HBM) provided by Samsung and Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU). He noted that while Samsung hasn't failed in qualification tests, further engineering improvements are needed for their HBM products. Regarding previous reports of overheating and power consumption issues with Samsung's HBM, he briefly responded, "There is no story to tell."