South Korea is accelerating its push to become a major player in the global artificial intelligence industry by combining its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities with the AI technologies of leading U.S. companies. The country is expanding cooperation with Nvidia, Microsoft, AMD and other global technology firms as competition intensifies over the chips, computing power and infrastructure needed to lead the next era of AI.
The partnership, announced following an AI summit in San Francisco, includes $950 billion in planned cooperation over the next five years involving advanced memory semiconductor supply and production, along with the construction of 5GW-scale AI data center infrastructure.
The initiative highlights how the AI race is expanding beyond software and AI models. As companies compete to develop more advanced AI systems, access to high-performance semiconductors, large-scale data centers and reliable energy infrastructure has become a critical factor.
South Korea’s advantage comes from its position as one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturing hubs. Samsung Electronics, one of the world’s largest memory semiconductor producers, and SK Group, a major South Korean conglomerate with businesses spanning semiconductors, energy and telecommunications, are seeking to leverage their manufacturing expertise as AI demand continues to grow.
Under the partnership, Samsung Electronics will cooperate with Nvidia and Broadcom on advanced memory semiconductor supply. SK Group will work with Nvidia and Microsoft on AI chip production and foundry-related cooperation. South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT and AMD will also collaborate on developing and testing AI infrastructure that combines domestic and international AI semiconductor technologies.
For U.S. technology companies, cooperation with South Korea provides access to advanced semiconductor production capabilities that are essential for expanding AI services. For South Korean companies, partnerships with global AI leaders provide opportunities to move beyond traditional chip manufacturing and expand into the broader AI ecosystem.
AI data center development is another major focus of the cooperation. SK Group will work with Nvidia, Anthropic and Amazon Web Services on next-generation AI data center infrastructure, while Naver, South Korea’s leading internet platform company, will cooperate with Nvidia and Broadcom on GPU supply and joint investment.
The South Korean government plans to support the development of AI infrastructure through a cross-ministerial task force and an AI data center alliance involving around 400 companies. The alliance will focus on strengthening domestic capabilities in servers, storage, networking, cloud software, power and cooling solutions.
The government is also preparing regulatory changes to speed up AI data center construction by streamlining approval procedures and improving access to necessary infrastructure. The new framework is expected to take effect in March 2027.
The cooperation will extend beyond semiconductors and data centers into AI research and talent development. South Korea plans to support the establishment of an Nvidia AI Tech Center, a joint research institute between KAIST and Nvidia, and an AMD research center. It will also expand programs to help South Korean AI startups enter overseas markets.
The partnership also includes cooperation in physical AI, where Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s largest automaker, and Nvidia will jointly develop and test AI-powered robots for industrial applications. Samsung Electronics and Anthropic will work together on AI engineer training and new market opportunities.
South Korean officials said the goal is to create an AI ecosystem where global companies, researchers and talent can gather and grow. The strategy reflects Seoul’s effort to position the country not only as a semiconductor supplier but as a key partner in the global AI infrastructure race.
As the U.S. and its technology companies seek reliable partners for the next stage of AI development, South Korea is betting that its semiconductor strength and manufacturing capacity can become a foundation for deeper cooperation in the AI era.
