Sam Altman makes surprise South Korea visit as OpenAI builds on chip partnerships

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made an unannounced visit to South Korea over the weekend, meeting with Samsung executives and reportedly holding talks with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, building on existing partnerships with the country's leading chipmakers. Samsung said Saturday that Altman met with around 50 executives from its affiliates spanning electronics, finance and biotechnology in Yongin, south of Seoul. The discussions covered AI developments, potential business opportunities and the technology's impact on corporate decision-making and operations, Samsung said. Altman also met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won over lunch Saturday, with senior executives from SK Hynix and SK Telecom in attendance, according to South Korean media reports.