[Reporter’s Notebook] Korea Embraces "Jensanity," But Must Lead Innovation in Manufacturing AI

Nvidia to Prioritize Supplying 260,000 GPUs to Korea
Building an AI Ecosystem on the Foundation of Manufacturing Competitiveness

During the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Korea's leading business figures, who dominate the global market, ceded the spotlight to Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, even going so far as to share soju-beer cocktails and make "love shots" with him. It was a scene that explained the birth of the neologism "Jensanity," which refers to the enthusiastic craze for Jensen Huang. In response, Nvidia agreed to prioritize the supply of 260,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) to the Korean government and companies.

Until now, Korean companies have struggled to secure GPUs, the core resource in the ongoing "artificial intelligence (AI) war." No matter how advanced their technology, without chips, they cannot guarantee competitiveness. The fervent response from the government and businesses to Huang's visit was an attempt to overcome this practical limitation. In effect, Korean companies with world-class technology in semiconductors and automobiles have now obtained a "ticket" to future AI competitiveness.

However, simply resolving the GPU supply issue does not mean Korea will immediately become a leading AI nation. It only means Korea has earned the "right to participate" in the AI war. The real game-how to maneuver on the battlefield and how to lead the industrial landscape after the fight-starts now. An executive at a major conglomerate emphasized the need for concrete strategies for AI industrialization, saying, "Even if we build the AI highway, it will be useless if we have no cars to drive on it."

Huang chose Korea as a new strategic base to fill the "gap" created by U.S. sanctions against China. Korea, in turn, needs a strategy to match. It is essential to design a national-level industrial and policy framework that can foster an ecosystem where manufacturing powerhouses like Samsung Electronics and SK hynix can join forces with AI fabless companies, and to drive innovation in "manufacturing AI."

The landscape of global AI competition is already moving toward "ultra-large systems." This is not about a single function, but rather a comprehensive manufacturing system that combines AI models, data centers, software, and infrastructure. In this environment, Korea is almost uniquely positioned with its strength in "manufacturing-based AI," covering key global manufacturing sectors such as semiconductors, automobiles, displays, and shipbuilding, while also excelling in software capabilities.

Korea's task is clear. Not only must it use the secured GPUs to develop AI models, but it must also establish an "AI ecosystem centered on manufacturing." Korea should take the lead in building "AI manufacturing plant" models that optimize production, design, and quality in real time, and present them to the global market. This requires a sophisticated industrial strategy that integrates chip design, hardware, chip stacks, AI solutions, and manufacturing data.

The GPUs Korea has secured will serve as a catalyst to accelerate AI industrialization. It is up to us to turn the national vision and technological blueprint into reality. While we may gladly join the Jensanity, we must take responsibility for shaping our own future.