South Korea's plans for a national AI supercomputer have hit a snag. The project, known as "Supercomputer No. 6," has been delayed until 2026 due to the global shortage of AI chips.
High global demand for AI hardware has made it challenging for South Korea to acquire the necessary components. With existing supercomputers already operating at 90% utilization, the country is facing a "computing crisis."
The planned supercomputer, estimated to cost around $2 billion, is a major national project aimed at providing AI computing power to researchers and professionals. The chip shortage and resulting price increases have forced a reassessment of the project's timeline.
The increasing focus on AI development by nations and corporations worldwide continues to drive demand for AI hardware, benefiting manufacturers like NVIDIA and AMD. This "AI frenzy" shows no signs of slowing down, with countries like the US and those in the Middle East prioritizing AI development as a national strategy.
