SK chairman calls for sustainable AI biz model amid investment boom

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has called for efforts to develop a sustainable business model for artificial intelligence (AI), saying massive investment in the technology must ultimately generate returns to sustain investment and growth. Chey made the remarks Friday at Ulsan Forum 2026, the group's annual gathering in Ulsan, a southeastern industrial city where SK is developing a large-scale AI data center with Amazon Web Services (AWS). "If humankind has invested this much energy and resources into AI, we need to establish better business models to monetize it," Chey said. "AI needs to generate profits and eventually reach a structure where it can sustain investment on its own." Chey identified speed, scale and safety as key pillars of SK's AI strategy while emphasizing the need for viable business models to ensure the long-term sustainability of AI investment. He also warned of a potential AI investment bubble if the vast amounts of capital and resources flowing into the sector fail to generate sufficient returns, underscoring the need to create a self-sustaining ecosystem in which AI