US tech company Nvidia has committed to giving South Korea priority access to its upcoming Vera Rubin GPUs, as revealed by Second Vice Science Minister Ryu Je-myung. This assurance was made following Ryu’s visit to Nvidia’s headquarters in the US after attending the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas. The company plans to offer early access to its Blackwell GB300 GPUs and prioritize South Korea for the Vera Rubin series, set to begin mass production in 2027.
Ryu mentioned being personally guided by Madison Huang, the daughter of Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang during his visit. He emphasized the significance of accessing the latest GPUs ahead of competitors, particularly in the realm of AI models. Nvidia had previously announced a partnership with the South Korean government and major corporations to supply up to 260,000 GPUs for the establishment of large-scale AI facilities in the country.
Furthermore, Ryu highlighted his experience with autonomous vehicles at CES, underscoring the escalating competition in related sectors. He stressed the critical role of a competitive AI foundation across various industries, including autonomous driving, robotics, digital healthcare, and smart home solutions. The Science Ministry disclosed plans for expeditiously establishing a research center in South Korea in collaboration with Nvidia, following discussions between Ryu and Jay Puri, Nvidia’s executive vice president in California.
