Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, joined a high-level discussion with about 50 of Samsung’s presidents at their Yongin training center, just days after publicly critiquing the widespread use of limited DRAM memory in personal computers as inefficient for AI workloads.
- Altman discussed AI’s future and business impact with Samsung presidents.
- He criticized local DRAM usage as inefficient amid tight supply.
- Samsung is deepening AI training and OpenAI collaboration.
What happened
On October 31, 2026, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, met with about 50 presidents from Samsung’s electronics, finance, and biotech affiliates at Samsung’s training center in Yongin, South Korea. The meeting focused on how AI will change the next ten years, the new markets it could create, and the skills managers will need to lead effectively in the AI era.
This in-depth session was part of Samsung’s ongoing efforts to upskill its top executives in AI, following a generative AI course conducted in June. Before meeting Altman, the presidents had hands-on practice using AI tools to organize management documents and support better decision-making. Altman’s visit is part of a broader engagement between Samsung and OpenAI that includes AI infrastructure cooperation and enterprise deployments.
Why it matters
Altman’s recent remarks on a podcast criticized the inefficiency of running AI models locally on personal computers due to the limited global supply of DRAM, memory chips primarily manufactured by Samsung. He argued that having vast amounts of DRAM sitting idle in individual computers is wasteful and stressed the importance of maximizing utilization in cloud data centers where AI workloads are largely centralized.
Samsung’s statement and actions underscore its strategy to lead in AI not only through hardware supply but also by cultivating AI leadership internally and expanding partnerships with AI companies like OpenAI. This approach positions Samsung to capitalize on growing memory demand driven by AI, as demonstrated by its record profits in AI memory sales.
What to watch next
Monitoring the evolving collaboration between Samsung and OpenAI will be crucial, especially regarding developments in AI infrastructure, floating data centers, and enterprise AI services. Samsung’s plan to complete AI training for all employees by February 2027 indicates a significant commitment to integrating AI across its operations.
Industry observers should also watch how Altman’s critique of local DRAM usage influences AI deployment models and memory market dynamics. With memory shortages expected to persist until 2030, the efficiency of cloud versus local AI computing will remain a critical factor for hardware manufacturers, cloud providers, and AI developers alike.