When you’re out shopping for seven-megawatt offshore wind turbines, you think Samsung—right? Not so fast. For decades, few brands carried the clout and innovation that Samsung did—yet when the AI wave hit, it was SK Hynix that surfed ahead.
Memory Markets: From Monarch to Misstep
Samsung long reigned supreme in DRAM and NAND memory—cornerstones of South Korea’s economy and Samsung’s profits. But Q1 2025 marked a turning point. SK Hynix surpassed Samsung for the first time ever, grabbing 36% of the global DRAM market versus Samsung’s 34%.
The driving force? High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM)—the coffee-cup reservoir of AI training workloads. SK Hynix aggressively targeted this niche early, delivering HBM3E chips to Nvidia and riding the AI demand boom to record profits. In Q2 2025, HBM-fueled revenue pushed SK Hynix’s memory earnings to $9.66 billion, leaving Samsung behind at $8.94 billion.
Samsung’s chip profits took a nosedive: a 56% profit drop in Q2 2025, driven by delays in HBM qualification, export restrictions, and sluggish AI chip delivery.
HBM Tug-of-War: Who Has the Cup?
Samsung had lagged in stacking HBM—its underinvestment and hesitation to prioritize a “niche” product cost dearly. Morningstar summed it up: “HBM has been a very niche product … Samsung has not focused its resources on its development.
Although Samsung has now ramped up efforts—with HBM3E in mass production and HBM4 underway for late 2025—the competitor has already defined the game.
Foundry Frustrations: Behind the 8-Ball
Samsung’s foundry business—tasked with making chips designed by others—has also lagged badly behind Taiwan’s TSMC (~67% market share versus Samsung ~7.7%).
A lifeline emerged: a $16.5 billion multiyear deal with Tesla (2025–2033) to make AI6 chips—used in autonomous driving, Dojo systems, and Optimus robots—at Samsung’s Texas plant. This should boost foundry utilization, revenue, and investor sentiment—and signals a chance to close the gap with TSMC.
National Identity in Flux
For South Korea, Samsung isn’t just a tech giant — it’s an economic institution. It shapes the nation’s identity in ways few companies can match. This collapse in AI memory leadership and foundry relevance feels like a national stumble.
Can Samsung Bounce Back?—Plan for a Reboot
- HBM 2.0: Samsung is pushing HBM4 and custom ASIC-integrated memory, aiming for Nvidia qualification and sales in H2 2025.
- Foundry Revival: The Tesla deal, Apple’s upcoming chip orders from the Texas plant, and U.S. investment incentives may boost foundry margins and credibility.
- Selective Focus: Samsung may benefit from specialization—offering tailored logic-memory integration for AI hardware clients like Google, Amazon, or startups.
Data at a Glance
MetricSK Hynix (Q2 2025)Samsung (Q2 2025)Memory Revenue$9.66 B$8.94 BMarket Share (DRAM)36%33.5%Operating Profit Drop—56% decline (~₩4.6 T)Foundry Market Share—~7.7% vs. TSMC ~67%Strategic Deal—$16.5 B with Tesla
Wrap-Up: Did Samsung Miss the AI Moment?
Short answer? A little—yes. Samsung hesitated on HBM and lagged in the AI race, allowing SK Hynix to plant its flag first and hardest. But it isn’t KO’d yet. With bullish bets on HBM4, Tesla (and Apple) tapping its foundry, and loyal R&D firepower, Samsung has all the ingredients for a high-stakes comeback.
Will Samsung turn this AI fumble into a comeback story? Only time—and tech—will tell.
Edited by Rahul Bansal
