In an ambitious move to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence technology, South Korea’s Naver Cloud has entered into a strategic partnership with global semiconductor powerhouse Intel. This collaboration is focused on catalyzing AI chip innovation within the burgeoning South Korean tech industry. The partnership will leverage Intel’s cutting-edge AI accelerator, Gaudi, to build a comprehensive AI chip software ecosystem, with Naver Cloud providing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate research and software development.
This agreement is set to give a significant boost to South Korean startups and academic institutions by connecting them with industry-leading expertise and resources. These joint efforts aim to fast-track the development of AI technologies and accelerate their integration into commercial and industrial applications, forging new pathways for growth and advancement in the tech sector.
Building a Collaborative AI Future
In 2025, the Naver Cloud-Intel-Co-Lab (NICL) is set to launch, marking a key milestone in a collaborative effort to enhance South Korea’s AI prowess. This joint venture will bring together Naver Cloud and around 20 teams from the worlds of academia and startups, including experts from top-tier institutions like KAIST and Seoul National University. They’ll work side by side to advance the country’s AI capabilities.
A major highlight of this collaboration is the testing of Intel’s advanced Gaudi 2 AI accelerator, which is essential for building a commercial cloud platform tailored for AI tasks. Naver Cloud and Intel have ambitions not only to refine Korea’s AI software landscape but also to kickstart economic growth and educational improvements in tech domains. This strategic alliance could make South Korea a formidable force in the AI industry, potentially rivaling major players such as Nvidia.