At the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit, NVIDIA and South Korea revealed a landmark collaboration to construct a massive sovereign artificial intelligence infrastructure across the nation, a strategic move designed to cement the country's position as a global AI leader. The initiative involves a sweeping deployment of more than a quarter-million NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs) across public and private sectors, fueling the creation of sovereign clouds and "AI factories." This partnership represents a significant step in the global trend of nations seeking to control their own AI development, ensuring data privacy, economic independence, and national security in an increasingly digitized world.[1] The alliance is a cornerstone of South Korea's national strategy to become one of the top three AI powerhouses in the world, leveraging its existing technological prowess to foster innovation and economic growth.[1]

The core of the initiative is the large-scale infusion of advanced computing hardware. NVIDIA is set to supply approximately 260,000 of its high-performance GPUs, including its latest Blackwell architecture chips, to a consortium of South Korea's largest industrial conglomerates and government bodies.[1][2][3] This deployment will dramatically increase the country's AI computing capacity from about 65,000 GPUs to over 300,000, creating one of the largest hubs for AI computing outside of the United States.[4][2] Key private sector participants include Samsung Electronics, SK Group, and Hyundai Motor Group, each of which will build out "AI factories" equipped with as many as 50,000 GPUs.[5][3] NAVER Cloud is slated to expand its infrastructure with over 60,000 GPUs.[6][5] These facilities will focus on developing intelligent applications tailored to Korea's key industries, including automotive, manufacturing, robotics, and telecommunications.[1][7] On the public side, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) is investing in deploying over 50,000 GPUs for a sovereign AI infrastructure that will be accessible through the National AI Computing Center and cloud service providers like NAVER Cloud, NHN Cloud, and Kakao Corp.[6][5]

This massive investment in hardware is intrinsically linked to the concept of sovereign AI, which refers to a nation's ability to produce artificial intelligence using its own infrastructure, data, and workforce.[8] By building this capacity within its borders, South Korea aims to mitigate reliance on foreign technology providers and ensure that sensitive government and citizen data are governed by local laws and regulations.[9][10] This approach addresses growing global concerns about data privacy and security, particularly as AI becomes more integrated into critical infrastructure and military systems.[9] Furthermore, developing sovereign AI allows for the creation of large language models (LLMs) trained on local datasets. This ensures the resulting AI is attuned to the nation's specific language, culture, and social nuances, reducing the risk of biases inherent in models trained primarily on Western data.[9][11] To this end, NVIDIA is partnering with LG AI Research, SK Telecom, NAVER Cloud, and others to develop Korean-language foundation models using NVIDIA's NeMo platform.[6][12][13]

The collaboration between NVIDIA and South Korea extends beyond simply supplying hardware; it aims to cultivate a comprehensive domestic AI ecosystem. This includes fostering the next generation of AI companies through a new startup alliance under NVIDIA's Inception program, supported by local venture capital firms.[6][12] The initiative will provide startups with access to crucial infrastructure, funding, and technical resources.[6][12] The partnership also includes forward-looking research and development in areas like 6G mobile networks and AI-RAN (Radio Access Network) technology, with collaborators like Samsung and SK Telecom working to create more efficient, intelligent networks.[6][5] Another facet of the agreement involves the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) establishing a Center of Excellence with NVIDIA to advance scientific and quantum computing research.[6][5] This multi-pronged approach aligns directly with South Korea's established National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which emphasizes creating a world-leading AI ecosystem, nurturing talent, and enhancing national competitiveness.[14][15]

In conclusion, the alignment between NVIDIA and South Korea on sovereign AI signals a pivotal moment for both the company and the country, with significant implications for the global technology landscape. For South Korea, this public-private partnership is a calculated and ambitious effort to transform its economy from a manufacturing hub into an AI innovation powerhouse, driving job growth and securing its digital autonomy.[1] For NVIDIA, it solidifies its role as a critical partner for nations pursuing AI sovereignty and strategically positions the company in the competitive Asian market.[1][16] As more countries recognize the strategic importance of controlling their technological destiny, this comprehensive, national-scale deployment of AI infrastructure may serve as a blueprint for how nations can harness the transformative power of artificial intelligence while safeguarding their own interests.