South Korea to Invest in 10,000 GPUs to Stay Competitive in the AI Race

Artificial intelligence development has escalated into a full-fledged global competition, with governments making massive investments in computing power. South Korea has announced plans to acquire 10,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) by 2025 to strengthen its position in the global AI industry. According to acting President Choi Sang-mok, this investment will accelerate the launch of the country's national AI center, solidifying its foothold in the rapidly evolving field.

The United States' export restrictions on high-performance AI chips affect 120 countries, including China, Iran, and Russia, barring them from purchasing advanced semiconductor technology. However, South Korea is among the 18 nations granted unrestricted access to American AI hardware, giving it a strategic advantage in AI infrastructure development.

The procurement will be a collaborative effort between the government and private sector, though the official chip supplier has yet to be confirmed. Industry experts suggest that Nvidia, which dominates 80% of the GPU market, is the most likely candidate, though Intel and AMD remain potential alternatives.

Meanwhile, OpenAI and Microsoft are actively developing their own AI chips to reduce dependence on Nvidia’s hardware, while China’s DeepSeek is focusing on optimizing models to require less computational power, aiming to bridge the gap with American semiconductor technology.

According to analysts, South Korea’s strategic GPU investment, financial backing for AI innovation, and strong collaboration between the public and private sectors will enable the country to maintain a fast-paced AI development trajectory and remain a competitive force among the world’s leading innovation-driven economies.