Nvidia to establish AI research centers at Seoul National University, KAIST

Nvidia is moving to establish AI research hubs at Seoul National University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), stepping up its academic partnerships in South Korea.

Nvidia said Saturday it would work with Seoul National University to set up an Nvidia AI Technology Center (NVAITC).

The two sides plan to jointly pursue AI research, professional talent development and education programs through the center.

Collaborative research will span foundation models, accelerated computing, physical AI and AI for science.

The partners also agreed to explore cooperation on computing infrastructure to support large-scale AI research.

Research using Nvidia's Nemotron open models and Cosmos open world foundation models is also planned.

Through the partnership with Seoul National University, Nvidia aims to strengthen the AI research capabilities of Korean scientists and expand the pipeline of skilled professionals for industry.

Earlier, Nvidia announced a separate plan to establish the Nvidia-KAIST AI Joint Research Lab at KAIST's Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI in Seoul.

The lab will operate as a global research hub for the joint development of agentic AI models and AI agent systems tailored to the Korean language and domestic industries.

Its long-term goal is to secure foundational AI technologies for South Korea, cultivate global talent and strengthen industrial competitiveness.

The initiative is expected to run over an initial five-year period with a total budget of $300 million.

The joint lab plans to provide research funding to at least 10 KAIST researchers each year and offer each of them an Nvidia internship opportunity.

Nvidia added that it intends to hire outstanding Korean researchers as full-time employees.

"Korea is a country with leading AI researchers and a world-class technology ecosystem," said Bill Dally, Nvidia's chief scientist and senior vice president of research. "The joint lab will lay the foundation for next-generation AI research that accelerates the development of AI models and agent systems for Korea's industries, language and future."