Sam Altmans Asia Tour Secures Future of AI Chips

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is making strategic moves across Asia to secure the computational power needed for the future of artificial intelligence. His recent travels reportedly included a pivotal, unannounced trip to Taiwan for high-stakes meetings with key technology manufacturers.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Bloomberg)

Secretive Talks with Taiwanese Tech Giants

According to a report from Digitimes, Altman met with representatives from the world's leading chipmaker, TSMC, and the major electronics assembler, Foxconn. The discussions were said to focus on creating a powerful collaboration covering custom chip design, manufacturing, and the development of specialized AI server infrastructure.

Laying the Groundwork for AI Factories

These potential partnerships are essential for OpenAI's massive long-term vision. The company is involved in colossal projects, such as the Stargate initiative, which aims to build data centers worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Securing a direct line to chip design and manufacturing is crucial for developing the next generation of what are being called "AI factories" over the coming years.

Confirmed Data Center Deals in South Korea

While the Taiwan visit remains unconfirmed by official sources, Altman's presence in the region was solidified shortly after. On Wednesday, September 30, it was confirmed that Altman was in South Korea meeting with President Lee Jae Myung. The Korea Times reported that this visit resulted in significant, non-binding agreements to expand OpenAI's physical infrastructure. The deals include plans to build a 20-megawatt data center in Phang in partnership with Samsung, and a second facility of the same size in the South Jeolla province with SK Hynix. These moves demonstrate a clear strategy to build a global, resilient supply chain for the immense computing demands of advanced AI.