Seoul: Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang hosted a Korean-style barbecue dinner with prominent South Korean business leaders, including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, to emphasize their collaborative efforts in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the gathering took place at a samgyeopsal restaurant in Seoul's northwestern Hongdae area. Joining Huang and Chey were LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin. The group indulged in samgyeopsal, or grilled pork belly, paired with a local drink mix of soju and beer, known as "sam-so."
The event drew significant attention, with hundreds of people and journalists congregating outside the venue to witness the assembly of AI industry leaders. The companies represented at the dinner are involved in various aspects of the AI value chain, including semiconductors, data centers, AI models, software, and robotics.
Huang announced the introduction of four new businesses in Korea: Vera Rubin, a next-generation AI supercomputing platform; Vera, Nvidia's first central processing unit (CPU) for AI; RTX Spark, the company's inaugural laptop; and Jetson Thor, an AI supercomputer for humanoid robots. He highlighted the need for large quantities of high bandwidth memory (HBM), an area where South Korean chipmakers excel.
In a further commitment to Korea, Huang revealed plans for a prominent research center in the country, which will focus on hiring AI researchers and robotics engineers. Prior to the dinner, Huang visited an internet caf© and met with esports players in Seoul, acknowledging Korea's status as a birthplace of esports and a competitive gaming hub utilizing Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs).
Huang's visit to South Korea, arriving on his private jet for a four-day stay, underscores his belief in the potential of the robotics sector as a major growth area for the country. He emphasized Korea's suitability for investment, particularly in robotics and AI, and expressed Nvidia's intent to collaborate with domestic manufacturing firms.
The trip also includes a ceremonial first pitch at a Doosan Bears baseball game and meetings with gaming industry executives and AI startups. Discussions with Krafton Executive Director Chang Byung-gyu and potential cooperation involving Nvidia's RTX Spark platform are anticipated. Additionally, Huang plans to engage with Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon to explore AI collaboration, including GPU supply.
This visit follows Huang's previous trip to South Korea in October, coinciding with the APEC CEO Summit, during which he met with Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor Group leaders. This time, his schedule includes interactions with AI and robotics startups, university researchers, and students, reinforcing Nvidia's commitment to fostering innovation in Korea.