[Future Business Forum] Naver Partner Intel "Considering AI Business Models for 'Samsung Phones and LG Appliances'"

Strengthening Cooperation Among Domestic Tech Companies
Participation in Future Business Forum Panel
Sharing Healthy AI Development Strategies

Na Seung-joo, Managing Director of Intel Korea, who oversees data center artificial intelligence (AI) operations, said, "We are considering AI business models that interconnect with Samsung phones, LG home appliances, SK Telecom and KT devices," adding, "Although we are not yet at a stage of close collaboration, considering Korea's excellent component supply chain, Samsung could become an important partner for Intel, similar to Naver."

Na Seung-joo, Executive Director of Intel Korea and a speaker at the Asia Future Business Forum, is discussing the future of AGI in an interview with Asia Economy at the Intel Korea office in Yeouido, Seoul. 2024.4.18 Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

In a recent interview at Intel Korea's headquarters in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Na said, "Korea lags behind the US and China in core AI technologies, but it is ahead in terms of reinterpreting and utilizing these core technologies." Core AI technologies refer to deep learning algorithms that enhance AI learning capabilities.

He will participate as a panelist at the Future Enterprise Forum hosted by Asia Economy on the 22nd of next month, where he will evaluate the AI era and discuss the development speed and future of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

He emphasized that Intel is seeking ways to strengthen cooperation with major domestic tech companies. Following Naver, Intel is considering business models to collaborate on enterprise AI with Samsung, LG, SK, KT, and others. This is based on the judgment that Korea is the top market in the Asia-Pacific region equipped with both AI hardware and service solution supply chains. Na said that while the US and China rank first and second globally in AI, Korea is the best when excluding those two countries.

Na said, "When doing business in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan also has a large market and many companies worth collaborating with, but it does not adopt and apply AI models as quickly to IT companies and smart manufacturing factories as Korea does," adding, "It is an attractive market that possesses both hardware companies represented by high-bandwidth memory (HBM) semiconductors (Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix) and excellent AI service solution companies such as HyperCLOVA and Exaone (Naver, LG)."

Intel previously announced that it would develop a high-performance large language model (LLM) based on its AI accelerator chip Gaudi in collaboration with Naver. The goal is to build an ecosystem centered on Gaudi to overturn the market dominated by Nvidia, which holds a 90% share in the AI chip market.

Na also stated that he would reveal ways to promote the healthy development of AI at the forum. He said, "We need to look not only at AI technology development but also at the impact of technology on society and human life, as well as institutional aspects," adding, "I hope we can broadly share ideas on necessary regulations and internal controls to prevent AI technology from being misused for deepfakes, fake news, harmful content for youth, and so on during the forum."