Nvidia chief bets big on AI memory chip cooperation

Seoul, June 2 (IANS) Jensen Huang, chief executive officer of US chip giant Nvidia, met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won in Taipei to discuss the future of cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) memory.

The meeting took place in Taipei, according to a post on SK Group’s Facebook account. Both executives were in the Taiwanese capital to attend Computex, one of Asia’s largest technology trade shows.

“With SK hynix reaching a market capitalisation of US$1 trillion, the executives of both companies met to share the significance of the milestone,” the post said, reports Yonhap news agency.

The gathering also provided an opportunity to reflect on the achievements the two companies have made together in AI memory and reaffirm their commitment to opening a new chapter in AI infrastructure, the post added.

Huang earlier cited robotics as a potential area for investment in South Korea ahead of his visit to the country later this week.

His trip to Seoul is expected to begin Thursday night, according to industry sources. On Friday, Huang is expected to hold a series of meetings with the heads of major South Korean conglomerates.

Among those expected to attend are Chey, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Lee Hae-jin, founder and chairman of Naver’s board. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung is also positively considering joining the discussions, the sources said.

Kim Taek-jin, the CEO of NC Corp., a South Korean gaming company, is also expected to meet with Huang on Sunday, according to industry sources.

A closed-door meeting with local robotics and AI startups is said to be planned for next Monday in Seoul, industry insiders said, including Upstage, which is a contender in a government-led competition for the developer of a homegrown AI foundation model.

Business observers say the upcoming talks could move beyond AI semiconductor cooperation to include robotics and physical AI, an emerging field focused on integrating AI with real-world machines and systems.

During his previous trip to Seoul in October, which coincided with his participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, Huang drew widespread attention when he joined Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Chung for a late-night meal of Korean fried chicken and beer, commonly known as “chimaek.”

Onlookers in South Korea already appear to be excited over Huang’s visit, with a website predicting his itinerary drawing attention online.

According to industry watchers, an individual under the name of “Jun” created an online map tracking possible movements of Huang and news reports related to the CEO’s planned visit.

–IANS

na/