Nvidia Enhances AI Collaborations with Major South Korean Firms Including Hyundai and Samsung
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is making his first visit to South Korea in 15 years, where he is set to unveil strategies that will deepen partnerships with prominent local tech giants such as Hyundai Motor, Samsung, SK Group, and Naver. This collaboration was announced during the APEC Summit 2025, where Nvidia, alongside the South Korean government, revealed plans to strengthen the nation’s AI infrastructure and capabilities.
This announcement arrives on the heels of recent U.S. technology agreements with Japan and South Korea, aimed at fostering strategic alliances in emerging sectors like AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, and 6G technology.
Key outcomes from the partnership include:
– South Korea will procure over 260,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced GPUs to support escalating AI needs.
– Approximately 50,000 GPUs will be allocated to public projects aimed at developing domestic AI foundation models and establishing a national AI data center.
– The remaining GPUs will empower companies such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor Group to innovate AI-driven manufacturing and develop industry-specific AI models.
In an ambitious joint initiative, Samsung plans to establish an AI Megafactory in collaboration with Nvidia, harnessing over 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and the Omniverse platform to create an intelligent network for real-time production analysis and optimization.
Nvidia is also partnering with major Korean telecom providers—including SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus—in a project to co-develop AI-RAN (Artificial Intelligence Radio Access Network), which integrates AI into mobile base stations to enhance performance and reduce power consumption.
Meanwhile, Hyundai and Nvidia aim to construct AI frameworks for advancing autonomous mobility and smart manufacturing. Both companies plan to utilize 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs for comprehensive AI model training, validation, and deployment across new AI research centers in South Korea.
Additionally, SK Group is teaming up with Nvidia to create Asia’s first enterprise-led manufacturing AI cloud, leveraging Nvidia’s technology while facilitating access for the government and domestic startups. Naver is partnering with Nvidia to develop a next-generation “Physical AI” platform poised to transform industries such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, energy, and biotechnology.
These partnerships indicate a larger trend of integrating AI into hardware across various sectors, showcasing the concerted efforts of global tech leaders to define the future of intelligent systems. Earlier this week, Nvidia also announced collaborations with other notable companies including Eli Lilly and Uber, further underscoring its leadership in the burgeoning AI landscape.
