SEOUL - South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits on Thursday, riding massive market demand for the memory chips that power artificial intelligence.
A global frenzy to build AI data centres and develop the fast-evolving technology has sent orders for advanced high‑bandwidth memory microchips soaring.
That is also pushing up prices for less flashy chips used in consumer electronics -- threatening higher prices for phones, laptops and other devices worldwide.
In the quarter to December 2025, Samsung said it saw "its highest-ever quarterly consolidated revenue at KRW 93.8 trillion (US$65.5 billion)", a quarter-on-quarter increase of nine percent.
"Operating profit was also an all-time high, at KRW 20.1 trillion," the company said.
The dazzling earnings came a day after a key competitor, South Korean chip giant SK hynix, said operating profit had doubled last year to a record high, also buoyed by the AI boom.
The South Korean government has pledged to become one of the top three AI powers, behind the United States and China, with Samsung and SK hynix among the leading producers of high-performance memory.
Samsung said Thursday it expects "AI and server demand to continue increasing, leading to more opportunities for structural growth".
Annual revenue stood at 333.6 trillion won, while operating profit came in at 43.6 trillion won. Sales for the division that oversees its semiconductor business rose 33 percent quarter-on-quarter.
The company pointed to a $33.2 billion investment in chip production facilities -- pledging to continue spending in "transitioning to advanced manufacturing processes and upgrading existing production lines to meet rising demand".