When you think of Samsung, Galaxy phones come to mind first — but the real star of the company's latest results is a different unit: chips sold to AI data centers. The Korean manufacturer is reaping the rewards of that demand surge, posting a record operating profit for the fourth consecutive quarter.

For the third quarter ended in September, operating profit is expected to reach 107.4 trillion won, roughly $80 billion. In the same period last year, the figure was 12.1 trillion won — an increase of about ninefold. The new foldable Galaxy models contributed too, but the engine of growth is the chip business.

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AI demand is enriching chipmakers

As AI models grow, the data centers housing them demand more servers and chips. Supply struggles to keep pace, pushing prices up — with ripple effects across the entire ecosystem, from phones to computers.

On the manufacturing side, the picture is bright. Samsung, SK Hynix and US-based Micron are meeting the chip needs of AI companies. The billions of dollars flowing into data centers are swelling orders for all three firms.

That demand wave is precisely what lies behind Samsung's roughly ninefold year-on-year jump in third-quarter operating profit.

Governments are in the chip race too

AI spending isn't limited to companies. Countries are also committing huge budgets to keep manufacturing capacity within their own borders.

South Korea, led by Samsung and SK Hynix, announced projects worth at least $880 billion to expand chip production. Companies in Japan, China and Taiwan are similarly prioritizing facility investments.

In short, Samsung's current gains don't come from phone sales alone. The behind-the-scenes chip demand from AI is powerfully feeding the company's financial statements.