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SK Group chairman says AI chip demand could rise 60% to 100% next year

SK Group chairman says AI chip demand could rise 60% to 100% next year

Chey Tae-won said overall chip demand may increase at least 50% to 60% next year while new supply stays nearly flat, with materials and construction emerging as fresh bottlenecks.

Fact Check
The primary source, Maeil Business Newspaper (mk.co.kr), directly quotes Chey Tae-won on 2026-07-19 stating next-year AI semiconductor demand will grow 60-100% and total memory demand 50-60% while there is almost no capacity expansion, widening the supply-demand gap. This matches the claim's core figures (60-100% AI chip demand, 50-60% overall, flat supply). The article also cites infrastructure bottlenecks (GPU, memory, power) and difficulties in expansion consistent with the 'materials and construction bottlenecks' framing. The Chosun Biz article corroborates his broader shortage narrative. All key numeric claims are confirmed by the cited primary source.
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Summary

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said global semiconductor demand will rise sharply next year, with AI-related demand increasing 60% to 100% and overall chip demand climbing at least 50% to 60% as new supply remains nearly zero. Speaking at a media roundtable during the Jeju Forum, Chey said the industry faces tightening constraints beyond earlier concerns around equipment and power, with materials and facility construction emerging as new bottlenecks. He pointed to shortages and rising prices in wires, related materials and submarine cables, signaling that supply-chain pressures could persist even as chipmakers try to expand capacity.

Terms & Concepts
  • semiconductor demand: Expected market need for chips used in products such as AI systems, servers and electronics.
  • supply-chain pressures: Constraints in sourcing materials, equipment or logistics that can slow production and raise costs.