SK Group chairman calls for AI-led growth amid industrial revolution

Seoul, June 22 (IANS) SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has called for a stronger focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as a new growth engine, urging the group to take a leading role in the AI-driven industrial revolution, the company said on Sunday.

"The sustainable survival of companies depends on how they adapt to AI," Chey was quoted as saying during a recent groupwide business strategy meeting. "We should broaden our horizons by applying AI not only in information technology (IT) but also in areas such as electricity, energy and biotechnology."

His remarks align with SK Group's long-term strategy to accelerate its "fourth quantum leap" by integrating AI into all aspects of business operations, spanning AI data centers, AI agents, robotics, manufacturing, energy and bio, reports Yonhap news agency.

The group previously announced plans to invest 82 trillion won (US$59.7 billion) in AI and semiconductor sectors by 2030.

As a first step, SK Group last week unveiled a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build a hyperscale AI data center in Ulsan, about 305 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

The facility is scheduled to begin operations by 2027 and is expected to create up to 78,000 direct and indirect jobs over time as it scales.

The project reflects SK Group and AWS' joint commitment to advancing cloud infrastructure to support AI innovation, the company said.

The project brought together key SK Group affiliates, including SK Telecom Co., SK hynix Inc. and SK Gas, combining the group's strengths in ICT, energy and semiconductors.

The new data center is expected to enhance the group's capabilities to meet growing demand for generative AI through compute, storage, database and edge computing solutions.

"Hyperscale AI data centers are core national assets that can strengthen our geopolitical position amid intensifying global tech competition and trade pressure," the group said.

"Given that AI data centers typically operate for decades, this large-scale investment by a global tech giant underscores confidence in Korea's political and economic stability and long-term growth potential."

—IANS

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