The chief of Samsung Electro-Mechanics on Monday highlighted business opportunities in the artificial intelligence (AI) era, saying the market has significant room for growth as the industry expands. "The current AI industry is just January 1," Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chang Duck-hyun said at a ceremony marking the 53rd anniversary of the company's founding, suggesting that the industry remains in its earliest stages despite concerns over its long-term profitability. The electronic components unit of Samsung Electronics has been among the beneficiaries of the AI boom, signing a series of long-term supply agreements this year alone to provide multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and package substrates for AI servers. "With the expansion of AI servers and data centers driving a sharp increase in demand for key components and technological sophistication, unprecedented growth opportunities are emerging across our core businesses, including MLCCs and package substrates," he said. The company has signed a total of eight long-term supply agreements announced this year worth a combined ov