The 'Compute Infrastructure' War Has Begun [Reading Science]

AI Semiconductors and Power Grids: The New Benchmark for National Competitiveness

At the heart of technological competition in 2026 lies a far more fundamental element than many anticipated: computational infrastructure, or compute resources. The years 2025 and 2026 have made it clear that no matter how advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms become, industries cannot function unless the computational power, electricity, cooling, and data center infrastructure are in place to support them.

The recent global race to secure graphics processing units (GPUs) is not simply a matter of growing semiconductor demand. Large-scale parallel processing is essential for training and inference in generative AI, and this has brought the total amount and reliability of compute resources to the forefront of technological competitiveness. Both industry and academia now consider computational infrastructure, data centers, and power grids as core requirements in the AI race.

However, there are clear limitations to meeting the surging demand for compute with a GPU-centric structure alone. As a result, neural processing units (NPUs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) designed for efficient handling of specific computations, as well as the data centers and power supply capabilities to support them, have emerged as new pillars of competition. Computational infrastructure is now expanding beyond individual components to become an ecosystem that spans entire industries.

The Compute Infrastructure War: Beyond GPUs to Data Centers, Power Grids, and Organizational Operations

This transformation is even more pronounced in industrial settings. In computation-intensive fields such as drug development, battery research, and climate modeling, the scale and efficiency of compute resources determine the speed and scope of research. Over time, differences in computational capability lead to greater technological gaps, becoming a key factor in the competitiveness of companies and nations.

Furthermore, as 'acting AI' becomes integrated, the meaning of compute infrastructure is expanding further. Sung Nakho, Head of Hyperscale AI Technology at Naver Cloud, explains, "AI is the Brain, but real value is created when the Brain is connected to the organization's Body." In office environments, the Body refers to the organization's IT infrastructure, such as email, approval, and work management systems.

Exterior view of each server room in Sejong, Jiphyeon-dong, Sejong City, Naver's second in-house data center (IDC) opened in November 2023. Provided by Naver Cloud.

As AI becomes more sophisticated, the way we give instructions is also changing. Rather than listing out detailed procedures, organizations now present goals and context, allowing AI to develop its own plans. In this process, securing compute resources is becoming not just a matter of performance competition, but a condition that transforms organizational operations and industrial structures.

The competition for computational infrastructure is quickly evolving into a competition for power grids. Training and inference for AI models require massive amounts of electricity, and data centers are being redefined as strategic national infrastructure.

SK AI Data Center Ulsan Panorama. Photo by SK

However, as computational infrastructure expands, so do issues of responsibility. Sung emphasizes, "While technology can reduce errors, AI can never bear ultimate responsibility." This demonstrates that the competition in computational infrastructure is not merely about speed or accuracy, but also about responsibility, verification, and operational systems.

Choi Unho, a professor at Sogang University, also points out that as technology becomes more deeply embedded in the operation of cities and national systems, expanding computational infrastructure alone will not lead to results unless standards and trust frameworks are established. Computational infrastructure is no longer an invisible facility; it is now the benchmark that determines national competitiveness.

The year 2026 will be when this transformation becomes most evident. In the AI era, victory will not depend on how much compute is secured, but on how stably and responsibly those compute resources are managed.