Supercomputer in South Korea delayed to 2026 due to AI competition

High competition for AI accelerators has reportedly caused a delay in South Korea’s project for one of its supercomputers. According to a report by local media Chosun, “Supercomputer No. 6” would have been postponed to 2026, due to the difficulty in obtaining the necessary components, with adequate volume.

It’s no secret that the hype in AI has caused a “gold rush” that impacts not only companies, but also nations and governments seeking to invest in technology and keep their economies competitive. South Korea, one of the reference countries in technological advances, intended to invest 2.9 trillion won in its new supercomputer, the equivalent of approximately R$12 billion.

Supercomputers are used for high-demand research such as molecular analysis, complex weather models, and other scientific applications. According to Chosun, the systems already existing in Korea would be reaching 90%, so this delay in Supercomputer No. 6 could mean a “computational crisis” for the country.

The hype in AI naturally results in impressive investments in the area, but it takes time for these capabilities to result in an effective increase in production. Meanwhile, demand grows instantly.

Delay in supercomputer highlights concern of experts in South Korea

Also according to the Chosun report, technology leaders in South Korea urge the government to invest more in the area of ​​AI, making it a national strategic priority to keep the country competitive.

“The spike in demand for AI chips after the ChatGPT boom has created a supply crisis and increased costs,” said Hong Tae-young, director of KISTI – Korea Institute of Science, Technology and Information.

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In fact, securing the necessary number of GPUs is just one of the difficulties for an AI Supercomputer, with the increasing price being another. NVIDIA’s H100 chips are among the most popular for the technology, meaning each one costs around $35,500 currently.

Fonte: Chosun