DeepMind to Open First AI Campus in Seoul with S. Korea

Google DeepMind announced plans Monday to establish its first AI campus worldwide in Seoul, South Korea, as part of a new partnership with the Ministry of Science and ICT to advance AI-driven scientific research under the country's KMoonshot initiative.

The memorandum of understanding was signed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul by DeepMind Chief Executive Demis Hassabis and Science Minister Bae Kyunghoon. The same venue hosted DeepMind's AlphaGo program in its landmark 2016 match against Go master Lee Sedol, a victory that galvanized global interest in artificial intelligence. Earlier that day, Hassabis met South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the presidential office in Cheong Wa Dae, where he presented a Go board signed by himself and Lee Sedol to mark the match's 10th anniversary.

The agreement focuses on joint efforts in AI-powered scientific discovery across fields including life sciences, biotechnology, meteorology, climate prediction, robotics, and next-generation energy. It includes exchanges of AI models, tools, and datasets, as well as researcher training programs and internships for Korean specialists at DeepMind facilities. The AI campus will serve as a hub...