SK会长崔泰源蔚山论坛演讲警示AI投资须自我造血，并称蔚山AI数据中心已推进至900MW

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said the global rush into artificial intelligence investment has become "a structure where people invest without looking ahead or behind," and called for the industry to reach "a sustainable structure in which AI generates profits on its own and reinvests them." His remarks point to the need for monetization backed by clear business models so that massive spending does not end as a bubble.
Chey spoke at the 2026 Ulsan Forum held at the Ulsan Exhibition & Convention Center on the 11th.
Chey stressed business model building and sustainability as the central themes of AI investment strategy. "Investment is being made at 10 times, 100 times the scale of a typical investment plan," he said. "Given the enormous resources being committed, we must build better business models and commercialize them." Where Chey had previously emphasized the so-called "3S" principles of speed, scale and safety in moving early to secure AI infrastructure, he has now shifted the focus of management toward recovering the resources already committed through genuine monetization. "If we put all our resources into AI and the returns don't come, it will deflate like a bubble," he said, signaling caution.
On the AI transformation of regional manufacturing, he emphasized data platforms. "Manufacturing AI is not easy without a data platform of scale," Chey said. "Gathering data and expanding the volume of data we need is a national challenge for South Korea, and the odds of success for manufacturing AI rise only when that comes first."
He also offered practical advice to younger generations. Chey identified thinking muscle, the power of empathy, adaptive muscle and physical muscle as the core capabilities young people will need in the AI era. The point is that they must build the capacity to think through problems on their own and empathize with others, while acquiring the resilience to get back up after failure and gaining experience through hands-on effort. "Using AI tools to understand people is the direction education has to take," Chey said.
He also spoke in detail about the status of the AI data center SK Group is developing in Ulsan. "We have met with big tech companies and made considerable progress," Chey said. "Ulsan has come all the way to 900 megawatts." SK is building a 7 trillion won AI data center in the Mipo National Industrial Complex in Ulsan in partnership with Amazon Web Services. The project was initially pursued at 103 megawatts but expanded sharply to a total of 1 gigawatt this month with the addition of 900 megawatts.
For Ulsan, the host city, Chey proposed a fusion of manufacturing and general-purpose AI with the arts as a blueprint for its future. "Ulsan's future should take the form of an AI city," he said. "We should develop manufacturing AI by adding technology, manufacturing solutions and data, raise the happiness of Ulsan citizens through 'AI for all,' and add emotion to the city so it becomes an industrial city with art."
The Ulsan Forum was launched at Chey's suggestion that the region think together about Ulsan's future, and this year marked its fifth edition. This year's event was held under the theme "Leading AX, Smart Life Ulsan."