Samsung Electronics Targets TSMC and SK Hynix: Hires Two AI Experts to Strengthen Semiconductor R&D

South Korean memory chip manufacturer Samsung Electronics announced today (the 14th) that it has hired two top-tier scholars and experts in the fields of artificial intelligence and data engineering to strengthen AI research and development capabilities within its semiconductor business.

Among the new hires, Seoul National University Professor Han Bo-hyung, a globally recognized authority in deep learning and visual AI, will lead the development of AI models specifically designed for semiconductor R&D. Data engineering expert Hahn Tai-rin will be responsible for building high-quality, AI-compatible data architectures that AI systems can directly access. Their roles cover the two most critical barriers in AI adoption for semiconductors—"models" and "fuel."

Samsung stated that it plans to expand the use of AI across core areas such as chip design, process technology, and manufacturing, aiming to shorten development cycles and improve yield rates and productivity. The company also pledged to continue recruiting AI and data engineering talent, embedding specialized knowledge throughout all organizational levels to build enterprise-wide AI capabilities.

Industry observers note that this move signals a shift among South Korea's major semiconductor firms—from competing on production capacity to competing on algorithms and data infrastructure. As competition intensifies in HBM and advanced process technologies, Samsung has changed its previously conservative stance on AI automation in production lines. Recently, the company has not only required newly purchased equipment to come standard with AI agents but has also accelerated the internal deployment of generative AI tools. This dual-track recruitment of academic and engineering talent represents Samsung's strategic effort to overcome weaknesses in semiconductor-AI integration and challenge competitors like SK Hynix and TSMC.