Challenging Nvidia, KT, Korea's Second Largest Carrier, Enters AI Chip Field Fully

KT, South Korea's second-largest mobile operator, has invested 30 billion won (about 154 million yuan, $23 million) in South Korea's homegrown artificial intelligence (AI) chip startup Rebellions, Yonhap News Agency reported this week. This is KT's second strategic investment in the AI space, following its partnership with Korean AI infrastructure startup Moreh last year.

Founded in September 2020, Rebellions has an experienced and highly educated team. According to its website, more than a third of its members hold PhDs, and it also has experienced technical talent from Samsung and SK Hynix, as well as working with professionals in multiple fields such as Intel, ARM, and Samsung America.

KT said it plans to enter the AI semiconductor space, which is currently dominated globally by U.S. chipmaker Nvidia, fully through a partnership with two startups.

Through the partnership, KT plans to build a large-scale GPU farm within the year and integrate proprietary AI semiconductors developed using ultra-large-scale AI computing technology.