On July 23, 2026, NVIDIA and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced a major collaboration aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence advancements in South Korea. The partnership establishes a joint AI research laboratory situated at the KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI in Seoul.
Focus on Agentic AI for Korean Industries
The primary objective of this new facility is to advance agentic AI models and systems that are specifically designed to meet the needs of South Korea’s unique industries, language structure, and future technological landscape. The collaboration will establish a robust academic research program by merging KAIST’s world-class scientific talent with NVIDIA’s comprehensive full-stack AI expertise, including access to Nemotron™ open models and NVIDIA AI Cloud partner computing infrastructure.
Strategic Investment and Infrastructure
The joint initiative represents a significant commitment, totaling $300 million. This funding includes compute contributions expected to average $50 million annually over the first five-year period. Researchers at the lab will gain direct access to cutting-edge NVIDIA AI infrastructure provided through local NVIDIA Cloud Partners.
Pioneering Localized Models
A core focus area for the research will be developing AI models highly optimized for the Korean language and specific use cases within Korea. By utilizing NVIDIA Nemotron open models, the lab intends to build a comprehensive pipeline that successfully guides discoveries made in academic settings into practical deployments at both the enterprise and national levels.
Cultivating Future AI Talent
Beyond funding research, the partnership is designed to create strong career paths for Korea’s top AI talent. The joint lab plans to fund a minimum of 10 KAIST researchers each year, providing them with internship opportunities at NVIDIA. Furthermore, NVIDIA has committed to hiring exceptional Korean researchers into full-time positions.
Leadership Statements
“Korea is home to leading AI researchers and is one of the world’s most advanced technology ecosystems,” said Bill Dally, chief scientist and senior vice president of research at NVIDIA. “The joint NVIDIA-KAIST research lab will provide a foundation for the next frontier of AI research to accelerate AI models and agent systems built for Korea’s industries, language and future.”
“AI research is entering a new era — one that requires frontier talent, large-scale infrastructure and deep collaboration across academia and industry,” stated Hyunwoo Kim, incoming faculty member at the KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, who will head the joint NVIDIA-KAIST lab. “Together, NVIDIA and KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI will pursue ambitious work that helps Korea attract and retain top AI scientists while building lasting ties with NVIDIA’s global research organization.”
About the Institutions
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is a public research university located in Daejeon, South Korea. Founded in 1971, KAIST maintains a strong reputation among Asia’s top universities for its focus on science and engineering, having educated many leading Korean scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is recognized globally as the leader in accelerated computing and AI technology.
