According to local media reports, Facebook co-founder and Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg is planning to visit South Korea. He will reportedly meet President Yoon Suk Yeol and Samsung Electronics chairman Jay Y. Lee at the top of a meeting with the presidential office to discuss a variety of issues, including the expansion of the AI ecosystem.
The tete-a-tete is expected to be an epoch-defining event in the history of technology diplomacy. The two tech titans’ teeming agenda spans a broad spectrum of generative AI concerns, from machine learning algorithms to neural network architectures.
Both companies are eager to leverage their strengths in the lucrative AI chip market, which Nvidia currently dominates. As Nvidia’s monopoly power has risen, the company’s costs have ballooned along with its market share, making cost-cutting essential. Several major silicon companies, including SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, are now racing to launch their custom chips for AI.
Zuckerberg is reportedly interested in a partnership with either of the two chipmakers to reduce his company’s dependence on Nvidia, which is also seeking cost-cutting measures. He will also likely use the meetings to scout Korean talent in AI, with many top researchers commanding eye-popping compensation packages.
One of the biggest challenges for Zuckerberg is balancing his company’s AI efforts between its original vision of the metaverse and its new focus on generative AI features that will allow users to create their content in virtual worlds. He will also have to decide whether to open source his generative AI research or not, which is an important ethical decision. While a closed approach may protect the safety of users, it will probably limit the potential reach of his platform’s AI capabilities.
A closed approach to AI development could also lead to an arms race in the space, with the most successful companies amassing a near-monopoly on key research technologies. Zuckerberg will have to weigh these issues carefully in his talks with the Korean leaders.
The upcoming trip to Seoul marks the first time in a decade that Zuckerberg will have visited the country. He is scheduled to meet with Yoon, Samsung’s Lee, and other high-profile officials. The trip comes when Facebook’s stock has risen, fueled by strong demand for its social networking services in Korea. The stock is up more than 50 percent this year, boosted by the success of its WhatsApp and Instagram applications. Facebook’s mobile app revenues jumped by more than 60 percent last quarter, while its advertising revenue increased by more than 30 percent. The company expects further growth in its mobile and advertising businesses this year.
