S. Korea and Google DeepMind Partner on AI Research
South Korea and Google DeepMind partner to build a National Scientific AI Research Center in Seoul, focusing on breakthrough scientific discoveries.
The South Korean government has officially announced a landmark partnership with Google DeepMind to establish a National Scientific AI Research Center. This facility, scheduled to open in Seoul’s Gangnam district by late 2026, represents the first global "AI Campus" for Google DeepMind. The initiative aims to position South Korea among the world’s top three AI powerhouses by moving beyond commercial chatbots and focusing on "AI for Science."
Key missions of the center include the "K-Moonshot" project, which will leverage models like AlphaFold and AlphaGenome to solve national-level challenges in advanced biotechnology, space exploration, and quantum technology. Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has committed to dispatching at least 10 senior researchers from headquarters to lead joint research projects and mentor local talent.
Additionally, the partnership includes a comprehensive internship program for South Korean researchers at DeepMind’s global facilities. Both parties also committed to collaborating with the Korean AI Safety Institute (AISI) to develop robust ethical frameworks, ensuring that frontier AI models are developed responsibly and securely.