Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
SK hynix forges chip technology pact with KAIST
Song Chang-rock, right, leader of the data transformation division at SK hynix, poses with Park Hyun-wook, vice president for research at KAIST during a ceremony celebrating their online partnership, Tuesday. / Courtesy of SK hynix
By Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
SK hynix has forged a partnership with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), a top-ranked science and engineering university here, to collaborate on a research and development project using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve the chip-making process, the company said Tuesday.
Song Chang-rock, leader of the data transformation division at SK hynix, met online with Park Hyun-wook, vice president for research at KAIST, and KAIST electrical engineering professor Moon Jae-kyun to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
Under the MOU, SK hynix will provide data generated in the semiconductor-making process to KAIST in real time via cloud computing and KAIST will analyze the data utilizing its AI technology to help advance the development of chip manufacturing processes.
“To aid in the cooperation, SK hynix launched a cloud computing system at its headquarters in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, in March,” the company said. “To enable KAIST to store data provided by us, we also set up security deposit places at the university's Daejeon campus and at the Seongnam-KAIST next-generation ICT research center.”
SK hynix has been actively strengthening partnerships with the country's prestigious universities in an effort to further improve its capabilities in the semiconductor sector.
“This is the first instance of a semiconductor company establishing access to its database, which means cybersecurity is the most important thing,” professor Moon said. “For the consistent development of semiconductor technology, we will also put our full efforts into research activities and security management.”
Song, who leads the data transformation division at SK hynix, said the company expects the partnership will help accelerate the development of chip-making technologies.
“We have set up a system that can apply the latest AI algorithms developed by the university to the industrial field immediately,” Song said in a statement. “We hope the partnership can help cultivate more AI professionals who can significantly advance the semiconductor industry.”