Microsoft plans to establish AI partnerships with tech leaders in South Korea.

Microsoft is poised to host top executives from South Korea's premier technology companies next month to bolster its AI partnerships.

The MS CEO Summit 2024, scheduled for 14 May 2024, will feature Microsoft’s founder Bill Gates and Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella. They will participate in exclusive discussions with Kyung Kye-hyun of Samsung, Kwak Noh-jung of SK Hynix, Cho Joo-wan of LG Electronics, and Ryu Young-sang of SK Telecom.

According to sources from The Korea Economic Daily, Microsoft aims to explore collaborative ventures in AI technology across various sectors. Key discussions with Samsung and SK Hynix are expected to focus on the joint development and supply of AI chips.

Recognized as global leaders in memory chip production, Samsung and SK Hynix could enhance Microsoft’s server capabilities with advanced technologies such as High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) AI chips and solid-state drives (SSDs).

With LG Electronics, collaboration will likely involve incorporating AI technologies into home appliances, positioning Microsoft to compete more effectively against rivals like Google and Meta. Discussions with SK Telecom are anticipated to cover advancements in cloud and 5G services.

This initiative comes at a crucial time, as the global tech industry increasingly emphasizes AI development. By integrating Microsoft’s AI services into products like Samsung’s smartphones and LG’s home appliances, Microsoft could significantly boost its market presence.

Last month, Kyung of Samsung’s Device Solutions revealed that their new AI accelerators, Mach-1 and Mach-2, are nearing mass production. These devices, designed to enhance the interaction between GPUs and HBM chips, promise to revolutionize processing speeds. Earlier this month, Samsung also introduced the industry’s first LPDDR5X DRAM, aimed at enhancing on-device AI capabilities.

Under the leadership of CEO Ryu, SK Telecom heads the Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA), which includes major international firms like Deutsche Telekom and SingTel. The alliance focuses on developing AI infrastructure and generative AI services for a combined customer base of over 1.3 billion worldwide.

Last year, SK Telecom invested $100 million in the AI startup Anthropic to develop a large language model (LLM) tailored for the telecommunications industry. This initiative is part of the broader Telco AI Platform project spearheaded by the GTAA.

The MS CEO Summit 2024 represents a significant opportunity for Microsoft to deepen its AI collaborations and secure a leading role in the technology sector.