South Korea's Chip Output Drops For First Time In 14 Months Amid Slowdown At Samsung
Concerns over the stability of the artificial intelligence bubble intensified this week.
Advanced Micro Devices released a disappointing earnings report on Tuesday, revealing slower-than-expected growth in AI sales. Adding to the uncertainty, Samsung Electronics, the world's largest smartphone manufacturer, reported overnight about uninspiring demand for advanced chips in mobile devices and PCs.
The largest takeaway from Samsung's third-quarter earnings report was an underwhelming performance in the company's chip division, posting a surprise drop from the previous quarter. At the same time, overall profit was marginally higher than Wall Street estimates. Also, it saw smartphone sales slowing by the end of the year and only increasing by about 1% in 2025, despite the hype surrounding AI-enabled smartphones and other handheld devices.
In addition to company-level developments, new data from South Korea's chip manufacturing base shows that production fell in September for the first time in 14 months—yet more troubling signs showing the AI boom cools.
Nationwide semiconductor production slid 3% in September, a sharp reversal after they gained 11% a month earlier, according to data released Thursday by the government statistical office. The growth in shipments also slowed to 0.7% from 17% in August.
Still, inventory levels showed stockpiles continue to be worked through at a rapid clip, as they declined 41.5% from a year earlier in September. The numbers paint a picture of an industry that may be cooling gradually as demand for memory chips peaks out.
South Korea's chip production is viewed as a proxy for global chip demand because these components are used in a wide range of electronics, from smartphones to servers to automobiles. Given the hype around AI adoption from phones to computers, this week's news from AMD, Samsung, and now South Korea's chip base could be symptoms of a cooling bubble. Certainly not the headlines chip bulls want to see.
