OpenAI, SoftBank tap Samsung for Stargate AI initiative

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Sam Altman was said to have suggested Samsung and SK Hynix invest in the Stargate Project

www.kedglobal.com, Feb. 04, 2025 – 

Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong discussed potential collaboration on the Stargate AI initiative with OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son on Tuesday, according to Son.

At Samsung's headquarters in Seocho-gu, Seoul, the three companies' leaders began talks on Samsung's possible participation in the Stargate Project in a friendly atmosphere and will continue their discussions on the topic, Son told reporters.

The Stargate Project, announced in January, is a venture with SoftBank and Oracle to spend $500 billion in building new AI data centers for OpenAI in the US. The move was seen as aimed at curbing China's rise in AI.

The Tuesday meeting was arranged on short notice following an appellate court's ruling that acquitted Samsung's Lee of all criminal charges – a ruling that removes legal risks he has faced for a decade.

Also on the agenda was the probability of Samsung investing in the Stargate Project, according to industry sources. Altman was said to have suggested Samsung invest in the AI initiative.

When asked about any plans to develop an AI-spefici device in collaboration with Samsung, he told reporters there was no such plan yet.

Rene Haas, CEO of SoftBank's subsidiary ARM and Jun Young-hyun, vice chairman and head of Samsung's semiconductor business, joined the meeting. Son flew to Seoul on Tuesday to have the sit-down with them.

After the meeting, Haas said Samsung Foundry is its good partner, referring to Samsung's contract chipmaking business and South Korea has excellent AI engineers, making its future bright.

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