Samsung Announces Record $73 Billion AI Chip Investment; Union Warns of Strike

Samsung Electronics will invest over 110 trillion won ($73-82 billion) in 2026 on capex and R&D, a 22% increase, to retake the AI chip lead from SK Hynix, the dominant HBM supplier to Nvidia. The investment covers semiconductor fabrication, AI chip development, and the Texas factory expansion. Samsung's labor union warned of a potential strike in May and plans to protest near Chairman Lee Jae-yong's residence, threatening production disruption during a critical competitive window.