OpenAI, Samsung form alliance to develop AI data centres, partner on Stargate

OpenAI and several Samsung affiliates, including Samsung Electronics, Samsung SDS, Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries, have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to collaborate on advancing global AI data centre infrastructure and developing future technologies.

The agreement, announced at Samsung’s corporate headquarters in Seoul, brings together Samsung’s expertise in semiconductors, data centres, shipbuilding, cloud services and maritime technologies. The signing ceremony was attended by Young Hyun Jun, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, Sung-an Choi, Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Heavy Industries, Sechul Oh, President and CEO of Samsung C&T, and Junehee Lee, President and CEO of Samsung SDS.

As part of the partnership, Samsung Electronics will work with OpenAI as a strategic memory supplier for its Stargate initiative, aimed at building next-generation AI infrastructure. With OpenAI’s memory requirements projected to reach up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month, Samsung plans to provide high-performance, energy-efficient memory solutions. The company also intends to use its expertise in chip packaging and semiconductor integration to deliver customised technologies for AI workloads.

Samsung SDS is expected to partner with OpenAI on the development of AI data centres and enterprise AI services. This includes contributing to the design, deployment and management of Stargate facilities, as well as supporting businesses in adopting OpenAI’s AI models. The company has also signed a reseller agreement for OpenAI services in South Korea, including ChatGPT Enterprise.

Samsung C&T and Samsung Heavy Industries will focus on the development of floating data centres, an area that has drawn interest due to potential advantages such as lower cooling costs, reduced carbon emissions and reduced pressure on land use. The companies will also explore opportunities in floating power plants and control centres.

Samsung stated that the partnership aligns with South Korea’s ambition to be among the world’s top three AI nations and reflects its broader strategy of integrating AI into its own operations, including exploring the wider use of ChatGPT within its businesses.