[DigitalToday reporter Dae-geon Seok] SK hynix will set up an AI data centre solutions company in the United States. SK hynix said on Jan. 28 it is pushing to establish an AI solutions company in the United States tentatively named "AI Company". The company aims to move beyond being a simple memory maker and become a key partner in the AI data centre ecosystem, based on competitiveness in AI memory technology proven through HBM and other products.

Global big tech companies have recently been competing through investment and business structure improvements to secure leadership in the AI industry. In particular, as memory performance draws attention as a key factor in solving AI data bottlenecks, broad cooperation to optimise AI systems has become necessary. SK hynix sees the situation as an opportunity to leap into a core company in the AI ecosystem.

The company plans to use the new entity to invest in AI innovation companies in the United States, a hub of the AI industry, and expand collaboration with those companies. It aims to grow it into a company capable of providing solutions across all areas of AI data centres. It also said it is considering ways to link capabilities secured there to synergies at the SK Group level.

The company said it expects this to also contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of South Korea's AI and semiconductor industries. It stressed it judged that the global network it will build and its experience in technology cooperation will be a major asset in expanding the presence of Korean industry in the global AI market.

AI Company will be established by reorganising Solidigm, which has positioned itself as an operator in the AI data centre field in the United States through high-capacity eSSDs, the company said. Solidigm will set up a subsidiary, transfer its business and later change its corporate and company names. The newly established subsidiary will use Solidigm Inc., Solidigm's existing company name of AI Company, as its corporate name to maintain business continuity.

SK hynix will also invest $10 billion depending on funding requests from AI Company in the future. A SK hynix official said, "Establishing AI Company is a move to secure various opportunities in the AI data centre ecosystem ahead of the next AI era." The official added, "We will work closely with key AI partners in the United States and create the value customers need one step ahead."