SK chairman calls for AI expansion beyond chips into models, services
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won speaks during 2026 CEO Seminar for the group's executives at SKMS Research Lab in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, held Thursday to Saturday. Courtesy of SUPEX Council
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won urged leaders of group subsidiaries to redefine themselves as artificial intelligence (AI) companies and expand beyond chips, infrastructure and energy into AI models and services, building a growth cycle that connects the conglomerate’s businesses.
According to SK Group, Sunday, Chey outlined the strategy at CEO seminar held Thursday to Saturday in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province.
During the seminar, Chey highlighted the importance of an "AI flywheel" to position SK as a key player in a “token economy,” where AI computing and services are traded as resources.
“We must break out of existing business frameworks and redefine ourselves as AI companies,” Chey said, urging every affiliate to find new roles beyond its traditional business and connect them to AI services and the token economy.
Under the strategy, AI semiconductor capabilities would support AI factory expansion, supporting the growing demand for electricity, energy and AI services. Competitive energy supplies and wider service adoption would spur investment in AI factories and advanced chips.
“In the AI era, we cannot do everything alone,” he said, calling open cooperation with global partners essential to strengthening capabilities and accelerating execution.
SK said the group's companies are applying AI to their operations. SK hynix is improving production efficiency by upgrading smart fabs that combine AI and digital twin technology. SK Innovation has improved yields at its Ulsan complex using a “process map,” linking equipment and operating data.
SK Telecom is using AI-based network and service automation to improve productivity and customer experience. SK Gas has accelerated decision-making by using AI to analyze market conditions and turn operational knowledge into reusable assets.
Executives also agreed to continue the group's ongoing "portfolio rebalancing," which restructures inefficient businesses and strengthening core operations to support the AI strategy.
The group plans to balance financial stability with future investment through capital allocation based on cash-generating capacity, while expanding AI transformation that combines employees’ expertise with data to generate earnings and change working methods.
The seminar also examined new business opportunities and potential risks, with executives exchanging ideas about one another’s businesses rather than reporting their positions.