- South Korea unveils $7 billion plan to boost AI chip production by 2027.
- The strategy includes a $1 billion fund to support AI semiconductor companies.
- As the global AI arms race heats up, other countries are also investing heavily.
South Korea has unveiled a $7 billion investment plan to ramp up its artificial intelligence (AI) chip production by 2027, Reuters reported.
The government aims to boost research and development related to AI chips, focusing on next-generation artificial neural processing units for machine learning applications and high-bandwidth memory chips.
This move comes as semiconductors continue to be a key part of South Korea’s export-led economy, comprising about one-fifth of the country’s total exports in March and reaching a 21-month peak of $11.7 billion.
Encouraging advancements in artificial general intelligence
In addition to boosting AI chip production, South Korea seeks to encourage advancements in artificial general intelligence, a type of AI that has a level of thinking comparable to humans.
The new strategy includes a $1 billion fund dedicated to supporting AI semiconductor companies, demonstrating the country’s commitment to staying at the forefront of the AI revolution.
Global AI arms race heats up
As the world doubles down on AI, other governments are also betting big on semiconductors. India and Vietnam have introduced policies favorable for chip manufacturers to set up shop, with India’s first semiconductor fab, a joint venture between local firms Tata and PSMC, set to begin production in 2026.
The US, China, and Japan are also investing heavily to bolster their semiconductor supplies. In a related development, Samsung reportedly received over $6 billion in subsidies from the US to help the South Korean chip leader increase its production in the states, further highlighting the global competition in the AI chip market.
To read the original article: https://www.techinasia.com/south-korea-launches-7b-plan-to-boost-ai-chip-production
