NVIDIA Partners with Hyundai, Samsung & More to Expand AI Reach

Nvidia CEO Visits South Korea to Strengthen Tech Partnerships

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, is currently on a visit to South Korea, marking his first return in 15 years. The purpose of this trip is to present new strategies and foster closer relationships with leading Korean technology firms.

These companies include prominent names like Hyundai Motor, Samsung, SK, and Naver. This visit coincides with the APEC Summit 2025, during which Nvidia and the South Korean government revealed a broadened partnership.

Boosting South Korea's AI Capabilities

The expanded partnership is focused on enhancing South Korea’s AI infrastructure and its overall capacity in the field of physical AI. This collaboration aims to position South Korea as a leader in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

This announcement follows recent technology agreements between the U.S. and both Japan and South Korea. These agreements are designed to strengthen strategic alliances and promote cooperation in key emerging technologies.

Strategic Technology Collaboration

Areas of focus include artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, and the development of 6G technology. The U.S. is actively working to build robust partnerships in these critical sectors.

GPU Supply for Growing AI Demand

South Korea is set to acquire more than 260,000 of Nvidia’s most recent GPU models to address the increasing demand for AI processing power. This was officially announced by the South Korean government on Friday.

Approximately 50,000 of these GPUs will be allocated to public sector projects. These projects include the creation of locally developed AI foundation models and the establishment of a national AI data center.

Private Sector Investment in AI

The remaining 200,000+ GPUs will be distributed among major Korean companies. Recipients include Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver.

This investment is intended to accelerate AI-based manufacturing innovation and the development of specialized AI models tailored to specific industries. The goal is to drive efficiency and competitiveness across the Korean economy.

Nvidia and Samsung Collaborate on AI Infrastructure and 6G Technologies

A strategic alliance has been formed between Nvidia and Samsung, focusing on the development of an AI factory and advancements in AI-RAN for future 6G networks.

Samsung has revealed intentions to construct a substantial AI mega-factory in collaboration with Nvidia. This facility will integrate AI throughout its entire manufacturing process, encompassing semiconductors, mobile devices, and robotic systems.

AI-Powered Manufacturing Facility

The new factory will leverage over 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and the Omniverse platform. This powerful combination will establish an intelligent network.

This network will be capable of real-time analysis, prediction, and optimization of production processes, enhancing efficiency and output.

Collaboration on Next-Generation Memory

Samsung and Nvidia, having maintained a partnership for over a quarter of a century, are jointly developing HBM4. This represents a new generation of memory specifically engineered to support the demands of emerging AI applications.

Advancing AI-RAN for 6G

Nvidia is extending its collaboration to include SK Telecom, KT, LG Uplus, and the ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) in South Korea.

Together, they will co-develop AI-RAN, a technology that integrates artificial intelligence with mobile base stations.

Benefits of AI-RAN

• Enhanced performance of mobile networks.
• Reduced battery consumption in mobile devices.

Under a recent agreement, Nvidia and South Korean industry and research organizations will collaboratively create next-generation AI-RAN solutions and a global testing environment, as confirmed by the Korean government.

Expanding Manufacturing Partnerships

In mid-October, Nvidia announced that Samsung Foundry will contribute to the production of custom CPUs and XPUs.

This builds upon previous work with Intel, which focused on directly connecting x86 CPUs to Nvidia platforms via NVLink Fusion.

Hyundai's Advancement of Future Mobility Through Artificial Intelligence

Hyundai Motor Group and Nvidia are collaborating to develop advanced AI infrastructure and technologies focused on physical AI applications.

This strategic alliance will concentrate on key areas including autonomous driving systems, the optimization of smart factory operations, and the development of cutting-edge robotics.

Furthermore, the partnership encompasses collaborative efforts regarding the provision of high-performance GPUs and strategic investment initiatives.

Leveraging NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs

Nvidia has announced that the collaboration will utilize 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs.

These GPUs will be instrumental in the training, validation, and deployment of integrated AI models.

Dedicated AI research facilities will also be established within South Korea to bolster the nation’s capabilities in the physical AI sector.

Industry Leaders' Perspectives

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, emphasized the transformative impact of AI across all industries.

He specifically highlighted the revolution occurring in transportation, encompassing vehicle design, manufacturing processes, robotics, and the advancement of autonomous driving – all powered by Nvidia’s AI and computing platforms.

Huang stated, “Together with Hyundai Motor Group – Korea’s industrial powerhouse and one of the world’s top mobility solutions providers – we’re building intelligent cars and factories that will shape the future of the multitrillion-dollar mobility industry.”

This collaboration signifies a commitment to shaping the future of the mobility sector through the integration of AI and advanced computing technologies.

• The partnership focuses on autonomous mobility.
• Smart factories will be optimized through AI.
• Development of advanced robotics is a key objective.

The investment in NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs demonstrates a significant commitment to AI infrastructure.

SK Group and Naver Advance AI Capabilities with Strategic Partnerships

SK Group, the holding company of SK Hynix, is collaborating with Nvidia to establish Asia’s inaugural AI cloud specifically designed for enterprise use.

This initiative will utilize Nvidia’s advanced simulation and digital twin technologies, providing access to governmental bodies, public sector organizations, and emerging Korean startups.

Naver Cloud, the cloud computing division of the prominent Korean search engine Naver, is also working with Nvidia to engineer a cutting-edge “Physical AI” platform.

This platform is designed to seamlessly integrate the physical and digital realms, and Naver plans to implement AI infrastructure across vital sectors like semiconductor manufacturing, shipbuilding, energy production, and biotechnology.

Focus on Real-World AI Applications

The goal is to expedite the implementation of AI solutions tailored for practical applications within industrial settings, as stated by Naver.

Hae-jin Lee, Naver’s founder, articulated that the emergence of “Physical AI” is underway, mirroring the automotive industry’s shift towards Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs).

This new era will see AI functioning directly within actual industrial locations and integrated into existing systems.

Nvidia’s expanding collaborations with leading Korean technology companies – encompassing Samsung’s AI network projects, Hyundai’s software-defined vehicle development, SK Group’s industrial AI deployments, and Naver’s cloud and AI offerings – demonstrate a significant industry-wide trend.

A Broader Trend of AI and Hardware Convergence

This trend signifies the increasing convergence of AI and hardware across diverse industries.

These partnerships illustrate how major global technology firms are uniting to define the future of intelligent systems.

Just this week, Nvidia announced a series of new alliances with companies including Eli Lilly, Palantir, Hyundai, Samsung, Uber, and Joby Aviation, alongside a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy.

This announcement came as Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, addressed concerns regarding a potential AI bubble.

Following the news, Nvidia’s stock experienced a substantial increase, propelling the company to become the first publicly listed entity to exceed a $5 trillion market capitalization.

• The SK Group partnership focuses on an enterprise AI cloud.
• Naver Cloud is developing a “Physical AI” platform.
• Nvidia is central to both initiatives and many others.