Qualcomm CEO Holds Consecutive Meetings with Samsung, SK, and LG Executives... Strengthening AI and Automotive Collaboration
by Kim Jinyeong
Published 22 Apr.2026 08:24(KST)
Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, Visits Korea
Seeking Collaboration in 2nm, HBM, and Physical AI Fields
Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm, who recently visited Korea, held a series of meetings with executives from Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, and LG Electronics, demonstrating an aggressive push to secure leadership in the global artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. This visit is interpreted as a strategic move not just to maintain partnerships, but to solidify an AI semiconductor ecosystem that connects foundry (manufacturing), memory (components), and edge devices (platforms).
According to industry sources on April 22, CEO Amon met the previous day with executives including Jinman Han, President of the Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics, to discuss production cooperation for the next-generation mobile application processor (AP), the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2. It is reported that the introduction of Samsung's 2-nanometer (nm, one-billionth of a meter) process, referenced by CEO Amon at CES 2026, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition held in January, was also discussed. This is seen as a plan to maximize the performance-to-power ratio of the next-generation AP by utilizing Samsung's Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology.
If the contract is finalized, Qualcomm's most advanced orders, which shifted to TSMC after 2022, will return to Samsung Electronics for the first time in five years. For Samsung Electronics, securing a major client such as Qualcomm offers an opportunity to prove the yield and reliability of its 2-nm process. This is expected to serve as a powerful springboard for Samsung Electronics as it seeks to catch up with TSMC in the foundry sector.
During the meeting with SK hynix executives, it is believed that measures to secure memory supply were discussed. Qualcomm has been expanding its business into the AI inference market for data centers, having unveiled the AI200 and AI250 chips for servers last year. As a result, the stable procurement of high-performance memory, including low-power DRAM (LPDDR) and high-bandwidth memory (HBM), has become increasingly critical.
The closed-door meeting with Jaechul Ryu, President of LG Electronics, was reportedly focused on establishing a partnership to realize Qualcomm's vision of 'Physical AI.' As LG Electronics expands its business from home appliances to mobility, automotive electronics, and home robots, the company and Qualcomm, which possesses the high-performance robotic processor 'Dragonwing IQ10,' are believed to be seeking synergies. By leveraging Qualcomm's powerful AI computing capabilities, LG Electronics aims to further advance the 'empathetic intelligence' of its products, while Qualcomm expects a 'win-win' effect by successfully diversifying its business portfolio from mobile devices to home appliances, robotics, and automotive electronics.
An industry official commented, "This series of meetings appears to clarify Qualcomm's determination to seize leadership in the post-smartphone era through collaboration with Korean companies," adding, "Korea's status within the global AI semiconductor value chain is expected to become even stronger."
Cristiano Amon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qualcomm, and Jay Y. Lee, Chairman of Samsung Electronics
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