On July 19, Yonhap News Agency reported that Chey Tae-won, the chairman of SK Group, announced at the Jeju Forum media symposium that the global demand for semiconductors is poised to surge in the coming year. Specifically, he noted that demand within the AI sector is projected to climb between 60% and 100% compared to the current year, while the broader semiconductor product demand is expected to increase by at least 50% to 60%. However, he highlighted that the addition of new supply will be almost negligible, which could further exacerbate the existing supply-demand gap.

Chey also predicted that material supply and facility construction might emerge as new bottlenecks impeding industrial growth, following in the footsteps of energy and power equipment constraints. He pointed out that as the AI industry expands, there could be shortages in wires and related materials. This is underscored by the fact that prices for relevant products have already seen an uptick, and there is a scarcity of submarine cables. Additionally, he mentioned that frequent alterations in construction specifications have compounded the challenges in construction.

Chey believes that it will require some time for the AI industry to establish a self-sustaining development ecosystem. At present, substantial investments in infrastructure have produced only limited outcomes. Nevertheless, once the system is up and running, the AI industry is anticipated to gradually foster a self-sustaining ecosystem.