Google DeepMind opens first global AI campus in Seoul
▼ Summary
– Demis Hassabis met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday.
– An MOU was signed with the Ministry of Science and ICT for a new AI campus in Seoul.
– The Google DeepMind AI campus will become operational this year.
– Hassabis agreed to send at least 10 Google engineers from US headquarters to South Korea.
– He presented President Lee with a signed Go board.
Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, visited Seoul on Monday to cement a major partnership with South Korea’s government. During a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae with President Lee Jae Myung, Hassabis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Science and ICT, officially launching plans for the company’s first global AI campus outside the US. The facility is scheduled to begin operations later this year.
As part of the agreement, Hassabis accepted a request to deploy at least 10 Google engineers from the company’s US headquarters to the new Seoul campus, underscoring the strategic importance of South Korea in DeepMind’s international expansion. To mark the occasion, Hassabis presented President Lee with a signed Go board, a symbolic gesture linking the ancient strategy game to modern artificial intelligence research.
The Seoul campus will focus on nurturing local AI talent, advancing research, and fostering collaboration between Google’s engineers and South Korean institutions. This move aligns with the country’s ambitions to become a global AI hub, leveraging its strong tech infrastructure and government support. The MOU also signals a deepening relationship between Silicon Valley and Seoul, as both sides seek to accelerate innovation in machine learning and responsible AI development.
(Source: The Next Web)
