Samsung is set to reward thousands of its employees with bonuses averaging around £300,000 ($400,000) each due to the surge in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This profit-sharing initiative, involving 78,000 chip workers, will distribute a bonus equivalent to 10.5% of the semiconductor operating profits. The majority of the bonus will be provided in the form of stocks.
Following a five-month disagreement between Samsung and its labor union, a pay agreement was reached on Wednesday. The accord was supported by 74% of the 62,616 workers who participated in the vote. To avoid a potential 18-day strike that could have disrupted global chip supplies, the union had pushed for a resolution.
While the specific bonus amount will vary based on individual roles, an average of £250,000 (513 million won) per worker is anticipated, according to reports from Bloomberg. However, estimates from Yonhap News suggest that the payouts could reach £300,000 (600 million won), almost four times the average salary earned by Samsung employees in 2025.
Notably, the bonuses will be exclusively allocated to unionized technical staff, excluding subcontractors but not employees in the consumer electronics division responsible for making Samsung smartphones and laptops. This initiative coincides with Samsung’s market valuation surpassing $1 trillion (£740 billion) as investors show strong support for AI-related stocks.
In its latest financial update, Samsung reported a remarkable surge in operating profit to 57.2 trillion won (£28.4 billion), with revenue reaching a record high of 133.9 trillion won (£66.5 billion). Additionally, other chipmakers like SK Hynix and Micron also saw their market valuations exceed $1 trillion this week, reflecting the growing investor interest in the tech sector.
The significance of technology and AI firms was highlighted in a recent analysis, revealing that these companies could earn up to £194,000 from leveraging the data of each UK internet user over their lifetime. The study emphasized the data collection and monetization practices of major corporations to power the internet, shedding light on the importance of data privacy awareness among users.
