South Korea's Next-Gen AI Ambitions: A Fusion of OpenAI, Samsung, and SK Group

OpenAI's Stargate Project is rapidly advancing in South Korea, with Samsung and SK Group collaborating on AI infrastructure. This initiative, part of a global effort including Oracle and SoftBank, aims to establish advanced data centers. Key partnerships and strategic plans unfold as the nation embraces AI-driven transformation.

OpenAI's ambitious Stargate Project is making significant strides in South Korea, with heavyweight tech firms Samsung and SK Group joining forces to revolutionize the landscape of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The initiative, as highlighted by Pulse, a service of Maeil Business News Korea, seeks to lay the groundwork for next-generation AI facilities.

Kim Kyoung-hoon, heading OpenAI's Korean division, revealed that two projects are currently underway, with the Stargate headquarters team recently visiting Seoul. Despite the buzz, financial specifics remain under wraps, although there's speculation about a monumental investment reaching up to USD 500 billion to construct a 10-gigawatt data center in the U.S., with similar ventures anticipated in South Korea.

The project's progress follows a visit from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who met Samsung Electronics' Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee. This meeting culminated in a letter of intent for global AI infrastructure collaboration. Samsung's involvement includes providing memory chips, while SK hynix Inc. commits to high bandwidth memory supply. SK Telecom is also slated to construct a dedicated data center, emphasizing the timeliness and strategic planning needed for success.