Seoul: Jensen Huang, chief executive officer of U.S. chip giant Nvidia Corp., is set to visit South Korea this week for a four-day trip that includes meetings with top conglomerate leaders and researchers, potentially fostering new collaborations in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Huang will arrive at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul on Friday afternoon, following his participation in the Computex trade show in Taipei. His itinerary includes engagements with influential business figures and executives from the gaming industry, as well as AI and robotics startups. Meetings with university researchers and students are also on his agenda.
On Friday evening, Huang plans to join SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, and Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin at a Korean barbecue restaurant in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood. Industry observers anticipate discussions on a range of cooperation areas between Nvidia and South Korean companies, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), AI data centers, autonomous driving, robotics, and physical AI.
In a previous visit to South Korea in October, Huang garnered attention by dining with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Chung during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Gyeongju. On Sunday, Huang is expected to meet with Kim Taek-jin, CEO of NC Corp., a South Korean gaming company, to explore potential collaborations in gaming and AI.
Additionally, Huang will hold a closed-door meeting on Monday with executives from South Korean AI and robotics startups in Seoul, marking his first known interaction with robotics startup founders in the country. His plans also include visiting Seoul National University's AI institute and robotics research center. He has expressed a keen interest in engaging directly with university students.
Huang is also expected to meet with Krafton's Executive Director Chang Byung-gyu and other senior managers, with discussions likely focusing on gaming partnerships related to Nvidia's RTX Spark, a semiconductor designed for premium Windows laptops, and physical AI. Krafton recently established a robotics company, Ludo Robotics, earlier this year.