South Korea plans to buy 10,000 GPUs to fuel AI development
South Korea moves to buy 10,000 GPUs in race to dominate AI
South Korea announced a bold initiative on Monday to secure 10,000 high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) within this year.
This effort is part of the country's strategy to stay competitive in the rapidly escalating global AI race. The move aims to bolster South Korea's AI capabilities and enhance its national AI computing centre, reports Reuters.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized that as AI competition intensifies globally, the landscape is shifting from corporate rivalries to national innovation ecosystems. The South Korean government plans to procure the GPUs through public-private cooperation, with the goal of fast-tracking the development of AI services at the national computing center.
Impact of U.S. Regulations on Global AI Chip Trade
The announcement comes shortly after the U.S. government imposed new regulations that control the export of AI chips and technology, crucial for the development of advanced AI applications. Under these rules, the export of GPUs, originally designed for graphics rendering, is restricted. This has heightened the competition for GPUs, with countries around the world scrambling to secure the necessary components for AI development.
The new U.S. regulation divides the world into tiers. South Korea is among about 18 countries that are exempt from the restrictions, while 120 other countries will face caps, and Iran, China, and Russia have been completely blocked from accessing the technology.
Next Steps for South Korea
As South Korea looks to solidify its position as a leader in AI, the government is still finalizing details regarding the GPU models, budget, and private sector involvement. An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT stated that these details will be concluded by September this year.
South Korea’s aggressive push to secure these high-performance GPUs is a reflection of the growing importance of AI technology, which is becoming central to the global economic and technological competition.
Recently we wrote, that Aiman Ezzat, CEO of Capgemini, one of Europe's largest IT services firms, expressed concern over the European Union's approach to artificial intelligence regulation, claiming that the EU has overstepped in its efforts.
