South Korea to Acquire 10,000 GPUs This Year for National AI Computing Hub
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Synopsis
On February 17, 2023, it was announced that South Korea plans to secure 10,000 high-performance GPUs to expedite its national AI computing center's launch. Acting President Choi Sang-mok emphasized the importance of GPUs in advancing AI technology amidst global competition.
Key Takeaways
- South Korea aims to procure 10,000 GPUs in 2023.
- The nation currently has about 2,000 GPUs.
- Public-private collaboration is key to achieving this goal.
- The national AI computing center is targeted for launch by 2027.
- The center will have a computing capacity of 1 exaflops.
Seoul, Feb 17 (NationPress) The government intends to procure 10,000 high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) by the end of this year to expedite the establishment of a national artificial intelligence (AI) computing hub, stated acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday.
As of late 2023, South Korea had around 2,000 GPUs, essential for AI advancement, amid global rivalry for extensive AI infrastructure initiatives, such as the Stargate Project in the United States. The GPUs intended for acquisition include Nvidia Corp.’s H100 and H200, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.
“Through collaboration between the public and private sectors, we aim to secure 10,000 high-performance GPUs within this year to launch the national AI computing center promptly,” Choi remarked.
Choi made these comments during a committee meeting focused on positioning South Korea as one of the top three AI leaders globally. This committee was created to enhance dialogue between the government and the private sector.
GPUs are pivotal in AI, providing superior performance for both AI training and inference. They also offer substantial benefits across various applications that require accelerated computing.
In addition, South Korea aims to inaugurate a national AI computing center by 2027 to bolster its competitiveness in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
The government plans to develop the AI center with a computing capability of 1 exaflops through a joint investment of 2.5 trillion won (approximately US$1.7 billion) sourced from both public and private sectors, as reported by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Before the formal launch of the AI computing center, the government intends to acquire advanced graphic processing units (GPUs), which are crucial for AI, and commence services prior to the year's end to provide timely support to local businesses and researchers in this domain.
This initiative is designed to swiftly enhance the AI infrastructure and establish the nation as one of the three global leaders in this field, as explained by ministry officials.
