Svmuu News: Choi Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group and Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated at a media roundtable held during the Jeju Forum that global semiconductor demand will grow significantly next year, with demand in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector expected to increase by 60% to 100% compared to this year, while overall demand for semiconductor products is also expected to grow by at least 50% to 60%. However, with new supply next year expected to be virtually zero, the supply-demand gap is likely to widen further.
Choi Tae-won predicted that, following energy and power equipment, the supply of materials and facility construction may become new bottlenecks constraining the industry’s development. He noted that as the AI industry grows, shortages of cables and related materials may arise; prices for such products have already risen, and submarine cables are also in short supply. Furthermore, construction specifications change every one or two years, increasing the difficulty of construction. He believes it will still take time for the AI industry to establish a self-sustaining ecosystem. Although massive investments in infrastructure are currently underway without corresponding results, once the entire system begins to operate, the AI industry is expected to gradually develop a self-sustaining ecosystem. (Yonhap News)