Google plans to build an artificial intelligence campus in Seoul, according to South Korea’s presidential office.
Officials say this will be Google’s first AI campus of its kind. The project aims to strengthen ties between Google and South Korean engineers and startups. The agreement through presidential policy adviser Kim Yong-beom.
Google DeepMind chief meets South Korea’s president
The announcement came after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met with Demis Hassabis, the CEO of Google DeepMind, in Seoul on April 27.
Reuters reported that after the meeting, South Korea’s Science Ministry and Google signed a memorandum of understanding for the AI campus.
The Straits Times reported that South Korea asked Google to send at least 10 engineers from its U.S. headquarters to the new campus. Hassabis said he would consider this request.
Kim added that the campus would be Google’s first of its kind worldwide, making the project more significant than a typical office expansion.
Seoul wants talent, training, and startup links
The campus is meant to serve as a training center and a link between Google and South Korea’s tech community. Hassabis said he hopes the partnership will “help with training up the next generation” through internships and other programs at the AI hub.
Talent development is important since South Korea is already strong in semiconductors, robotics, consumer electronics, and industrial technology.
Hassabis said DeepMind wants to work more closely with companies like Samsung, SK Hynix, Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics, and LG, and to “instigate new joint projects” with them.
He also called South Korea a “great industrial base” for key AI fields, including chips and robotics.
AI’s impact on jobs was also discussed
The meeting also covered more than just business partnerships. President Lee and Hassabis talked about how AI could affect people, especially jobs. According to Kim, Lee suggested introducing a base wage if AI leads to job losses.
This adds a broader policy angle to the campus announcement. South Korea wants to be a key partner in advanced AI development, but its leaders also recognize that AI could disrupt the job market and will need government attention.
AlphaGo history still shapes Korea’s AI role
Hassabis also mentioned DeepMind’s history with South Korea. Additionally, he referred to the AlphaGo match against Go player Lee Sedol in Korea ten years ago as a key moment that marked the start of the modern AI era.
He said this match inspired later AI breakthroughs, including AlphaFold, DeepMind’s protein-folding system.
For Google, the Seoul campus is a strategic step into one of Asia’s leading AI-related industrial centers. For South Korea, it is an opportunity to attract more global AI research, training, and collaboration focused on its local engineering talent and companies.
The agreement still leaves some details open, like staffing and future projects, but Seoul’s message is clear: South Korea wants a bigger role in AI’s next phase, and Google views the country as a key partner.
