Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, is set to meet with leaders from South Korea's gaming industry to discuss potential collaborations in artificial intelligence (AI) during his visit to the country.
The partnership between NVIDIA and local gaming companies, which has primarily focused on graphics processing units (GPUs) and game development, is now expanding into the realms of physical AI and robotics.
According to the gaming and information technology sectors on June 4, Huang is scheduled to meet with NCSoft CEO Kim Taek-jin and Krafton Chairman Chang Byung-kyu starting June 5. It is expected that key AI leaders from both companies will also attend the meeting. For Krafton, this includes Chief AI Officer Lee Kang-wook and Chang Tae-seok, who oversees the 'PUBG' intellectual property franchise. NCSoft is also likely to have AI executives present.
The discussions are anticipated to center on collaborations based on physical AI. NVIDIA and South Korean gaming companies have maintained a long-standing partnership centered around graphics cards, which is now evolving into cooperation on AI infrastructure and robotics technology.
Huang is expected to meet with Kim on June 7 in Seoul to discuss collaborative opportunities in gaming and AI. During Huang's visit last October, NCSoft showcased games like 'Aion 2' at the NVIDIA GeForce Gamer Festival held in Seoul.
NCSoft's AI subsidiary, NC AI, may serve as a key link in the physical AI collaboration. Earlier this year, NC AI formed a consortium with Samsung SDS and C-MAS to develop a robot foundation model (RFM).
Krafton is also expected to hold a separate meeting with NVIDIA, although specific details regarding the date and location have not been disclosed. Krafton's newly established physical AI subsidiary, Ludo Robotics, is likely to be a focal point for discussions, particularly around humanoid robots and physical AI.
Lee Kang-wook, who has been appointed as the representative of the Korean branch of Ludo Robotics, is leading the development of robot AI. Krafton previously visited NVIDIA's headquarters in California last April to discuss next-generation technology collaboration, including robotics.
In the gaming sector, collaborations between Krafton and NVIDIA are ongoing with titles such as 'PUBG: Battlegrounds' and the simulation game 'inZOI.' In 'inZOI,' game characters utilize a 'smart joy' feature that allows them to think independently, while 'PUBG: Battlegrounds' features 'PUBG Ally,' which plays the game using NVIDIA's AI technology called 'Ace.'
Additionally, Huang is reportedly discussing a meeting with Lee Sang-hyeok, known as 'Faker,' a player from the T1 League of Legends team. Last October, Huang introduced Faker via video message at the NVIDIA GeForce Gamer Festival, where the audience chanted his name.
An industry insider noted, "While the relationship between NVIDIA and South Korean gaming companies was previously centered around GPUs, it is now expanding based on AI technology. If this meeting leads to collaboration in both in-game AI and physical AI, it could positively impact the technological competitiveness of the domestic gaming industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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