Science ministry, AMD hold 1st steering meeting on AI chip partnership
Summary
The Ministry of Science and ICT and AMD held their first AI chip partnership steering committee meeting in Seoul on Wednesday. Lee Do-gyu and Keith Strier reviewed progress on the July memorandum of understanding and discussed plans and timelines for its tasks. These include combining AMD processors and graphics chips with Korean-made AI chips, establishing an AI research center in Korea, and supporting universities and AI talent. AMD also held its flagship AI event in Korea for the first time.
Key Facts
- The committee was established to regularly review implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed in July.
- The proposed heterogeneous AI computing infrastructure would combine AMD processors and graphics chips with Korean-made neural processing units.
- The partnership’s other tasks include an AMD AI research center in Korea, university support and AI talent training.
- More than 1,300 people preregistered for AMD Advancing AI World Tour Seoul 2026, and registration closed early.
- LG Electronics and AI software startups Moreh and MangoBoost took part in the event.
The logo of semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices is displayed over a booth at the Web Summit digital trade show in Vancouver, Canada, May 12. Reuters-Yonhap
The science ministry and U.S. chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) held the first steering committee meeting of their artificial intelligence (AI) chip partnership on Wednesday. AMD also hosted its flagship AI event in Korea for the first time.
The meeting was held at the Westin Seoul Parnas hotel during AMD Advancing AI World Tour Seoul 2026, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. The two sides set up the committee to check, on a regular basis, how the memorandum of understanding (MOU) they signed in July is being carried out.
Lee Do-gyu, head of the ministry’s Office of ICT Policy, met with Keith Strier, AMD’s senior vice president for global AI markets. They reviewed progress on the deal’s key tasks. One is building AI computing infrastructure that combines different kinds of chips: AMD’s processors and graphics chips together with Korean-made neural processing units, which are chips designed specifically for AI work. Other tasks include an AMD AI research center in Korea, support for universities and training for AI talent. The two also discussed concrete plans and timelines.
AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su visited Korea on Oct. 7. She met Second Vice Science Minister Ryu Je-myung, and both sides restated their commitment to working together on AI chips.
More than 1,300 people preregistered for the event, and registration closed early, the ministry said. Korean companies working with AMD on AI computing took part, including LG Electronics and the AI software startups Moreh and MangoBoost. Lee spoke on a panel titled “Building Korea’s AI Nation.”
Ryu also attended the event and toured exhibition booths with Strier.
“AMD holding its flagship Advancing AI event in Korea for the first time shows that it sees Korea as an important AI partner,” Ryu said.
“The ministry will work to make sure the tasks agreed under the MOU move ahead smoothly. We want that to lead to growth for Korean AI chip companies and a more competitive AI ecosystem.”
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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