Zuckerberg to visit Korea, meet Samsung on AI tech development

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Zuckerberg to visit Korea, meet Samsung on AI tech development

Published: 21 Feb. 2024, 11:12 Updated: 21 Feb. 2024, 18:21

PARK EUN-JEE
park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr

Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2024. [REUTERS]

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is planning on visiting Korea at the end of this month to potentially explore cooperation with Samsung Electronics in jointly developing Meta’s custom-designed microchips which will be used for processing AI programs and systems.

Local media outlets reported that the CEO of Meta will likely meet with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong during the visit on top of a meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Samsung Electronics declined to confirm, while the presidential office is "positively considering" it, according to Yonhap News Agency.

If Zuckerberg does make it to Korea, it will be his first visit to the country in more than 10 years. On his previous trip in 2013, he met with former President Park Geun-hye and Samsung’s Lee in separate events. The meeting with Lee lasted around seven hours.

The news came as Meta is trying to reduce its dependence on Nvidia as the chipmaker’s dominant position has led to spiraling costs.

He is not alone in the cost-cutting effort. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman discussed a similar agenda when he met with executives of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix during his June visit to Korea last month.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are betting big on the AI custom chip market with the two major chipmakers pushing up capital expenditure to manufacture high-performing chips designed to support AI training.

BY PARK EUN-JEE, YONHAP [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]