Gwangju Chamber of Commerce Successfully Hosts Economic Forum on the Future of AI Semiconductors

The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted the 277th Gwangju Economic Forum on the 22nd, inviting Yoo Hoejun, a globally renowned expert in the semiconductor field and a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST. Photo by Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The Gwangju Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on the 23rd that it had hosted the 277th Gwangju Economic Forum, inviting Yoo Hoejun, a globally renowned expert in the semiconductor field and a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST.

The event, held on the morning of the previous day at the Ramada Plaza Gwangju Hotel, was attended by more than 100 people, including corporate representatives and heads of related organizations.

This forum was held under the theme "Core Technologies in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: The Present and Future of AI Semiconductors." The forum provided an opportunity to comprehensively examine Korea's competitiveness and response strategies amid innovations in AI semiconductor technology, as well as the role of the local region.

Professor Yoo Hoejun predicted that "on-device AI," which processes data on the device itself rather than in the cloud, and "PIM (Processing-In-Memory)" technology, which enables computation within memory, will be the core of next-generation AI semiconductors. He emphasized that, since this is an untapped market with no global frontrunners yet, Korea, as a powerhouse in memory technology, has a strategic opportunity to secure leadership by combining its strengths with PIM semiconductor technology.

Professor Yoo Hoejun stated, "The key competitive edge in the AI era lies in the harmonious development of three pillars: AI models (algorithms), semiconductors and hardware, and AI application services." He added, "While Korea may be somewhat behind in AI models, it possesses a wide range of robust demand industries in hardware and AI application services, such as smartphones, automobiles, and home appliances, which means it has broader opportunities."

He went on to say, "AI is an unstoppable, massive trend, and only individuals and companies that make good use of it will survive. The most urgent and important task is to consider and implement how to apply and innovate AI in each industry and business."

Meanwhile, Professor Yoo Hoejun, who delivered the lecture, was the first in the world to develop the 256-megabit DRAM. He currently serves as a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, the dean of the Graduate School of AI Semiconductors, and the head of the PIM Semiconductor Design Research Center. Most founders of domestic fabless AI semiconductor companies are his former students.