SEOUL: The market value of South Korea's Samsung Electronics smashed past US$1 trillion for the first time on Wednesday (May 6) as the firm rides an artificial intelligence chip boom that has sent Seoul's Kospi stock index to record highs. The company has emerged as a key player - alongside domestic rival SK Hynix - in the supply of high-performing chips that are wanted by firms racing to keep up with the fast-evolving artificial intelligence industry. Samsung logged record first-quarter profit