NVIDIA to Invest $1 Billion in NAVER for AI Factory Expansion by 2028

Massive Investment Plans for AI Infrastructure Expansion in Korea

Korea is set to see a significant boost in its AI capabilities, with plans to expand the NVIDIA DSX AI factory in Sejong. A collaborative effort between NVIDIA, NAVER, and Brookfield aims to increase the factory's capacity from 55 megawatts to 200 megawatts by 2028.

NVIDIA has announced its intention to invest $1 billion into NAVER, contingent upon customary closing conditions and NAVER securing at least $9 billion in committed project financing. In addition, Brookfield has entered a nonbinding agreement to potentially fund up to $9 billion for this ambitious project.

Strategic Partnerships to Drive Technological Advancements

The investment aims to strengthen Korea's standing in AI innovation, with the expanded infrastructure providing the necessary resources for Korea- and U.S.-based AI innovators. As part of this move, the deployment of NVIDIA's Vera Rubin and Blackwell platforms will advance the AI factory's capabilities, supporting multi-tenant AI workloads for enterprises and industries.

"NVIDIA’s planned strategic investment and our infrastructure supply agreement with Brookfield have propelled NAVER’s vision for the AI factory business into a robust execution phase," stated Haejin Lee, founder, and chairman of NAVER.

Long-Term Goals for AI Development

NAVER's ultimate goal is to deploy 1 gigawatt of NVIDIA AI infrastructure, a vision supported by the strategic partnership between NVIDIA and Brookfield. Sikander Rashid, global head of AI infrastructure at Brookfield, emphasized the importance of access to scalable AI infrastructure, mentioning that the collaboration will combine Brookfield’s investment capabilities with NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platform.

Brookfield's Role in the Expansion

Brookfield, with approximately $100 billion in assets under management, is a significant player in this expansion. The firm has been actively investing in Korea since 2014 and currently manages around $12 billion in assets across infrastructure, real estate, and energy sectors. Their involvement in the project emphasizes the collaborative effort to enhance Korea’s AI infrastructure.

NVIDIA DSX Platform at the Heart of Expansion

The NVIDIA DSX platform will play a central role in the expansion, providing a comprehensive stack designed for AI factories. This will include chips, systems, software, and facilities, all aimed at accelerating AI deployments while minimizing costs.

NAVER's Contribution to AI Innovation

NAVER, known for its technological prowess in Korea, will further innovate by advancing its HyperCLOVA X models using NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Ultra open models. As a member of the NVIDIA Nemotron Coalition, NAVER will contribute to open model development, enhancing AI capabilities across various domains.

The collaboration between NAVER and NVIDIA paves the way for significant advancements in AI technology, promising a robust AI infrastructure that supports global AI cloud customers.