Nvidia and SK Group Set to Deepen Partnership as Jensen Huang Warns Chip Shortages Could Last for Years

Nvidia and South Korea’s SK Group are preparing to announce a new cooperation plan, underscoring the growing importance of partnerships across the AI semiconductor ecosystem. The announcement is expected to be made jointly by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during a media briefing in Seoul.

While specific details of the partnership have not yet been disclosed, Huang indicated that discussions between the two companies extend across multiple technology sectors. He highlighted areas including AI supercomputing, central processing units (CPUs), next-generation personal computers, and robotics as fields where collaboration opportunities continue to expand.

The anticipated agreement comes at a time when global demand for AI infrastructure continues to outpace supply. Speaking to reporters ahead of the announcement, Huang cautioned that the semiconductor industry remains constrained by shortages across multiple segments of the supply chain, particularly in memory components that are essential for advanced AI systems.

According to Huang, supply challenges extend well beyond memory chips themselves. He noted that wafers, advanced packaging technologies, silicon photonics, and other critical components remain in limited supply as companies around the world aggressively invest in AI-related infrastructure. The imbalance between demand and available production capacity, he said, is likely to continue for several years.

The comments reinforce growing concerns throughout the technology sector that AI adoption is creating unprecedented pressure on semiconductor manufacturing networks. Demand for high-performance computing systems has accelerated as businesses increase spending on generative AI, large language models, cloud infrastructure, and autonomous technologies.

SK Hynix, one of the world's leading memory chip manufacturers, has become an increasingly important supplier to Nvidia, particularly in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), a critical component used in advanced AI accelerators. As AI workloads become more complex, demand for these specialized memory products has surged, strengthening strategic ties between the two companies.

The planned announcement also highlights South Korea’s expanding role within the global AI supply chain. Alongside semiconductor manufacturing giants, Korean firms are positioning themselves as key beneficiaries of the long-term investment cycle currently reshaping the technology industry.

The discussions between Huang and SK executives reportedly took place during an informal gathering over “chimaek” — the popular Korean combination of fried chicken and beer — reflecting the close working relationship that has developed between the companies amid the AI boom.

As the race to build AI infrastructure intensifies, investors and industry participants will be closely watching Monday’s announcement for clues about how Nvidia and SK intend to address supply bottlenecks and capitalize on what remains one of the fastest-growing segments of the global technology market.