AI Startups Subscribe to GPUs Instead of Buying Them as GPUaaS Demand Surges

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an AI-based customized news recommendation and summary service developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It selects and provides six tailored news stories for each reader type.

1. Less Time, Less Cost… AI Startups Rush to 'GPUaaS Subscriptions'

- Key Summary: GPUaaS, a cloud-based GPU rental model, is emerging as essential infrastructure among AI startups. Medical AI startup Soombit AI trained on 14 million chest X-ray data sets and conducted various experiments without cost burdens, while Upstage secured Nvidia H100 GPUs through Samsung SDS services to maintain its LLM development pace. GPU demand is expected to expand further with the advancement of technologies such as AI agents and world models. Industry analysts say new job demand is growing in areas such as cloud engineering and GPU optimization within the AI infrastructure sector.

2. Powered by Chips… March Exports Hit Record $80 Billion

- Key Summary: March exports surged 48.3% year-on-year to $86.13 billion, a monthly all-time high. Semiconductor exports jumped 151.4%, surpassing $32.8 billion, while 128GB NAND flash prices soared more than sevenfold in one year. Exports to China rose 65% to $16.5 billion and exports to the United States grew 47.1% to $16.3 billion, with major markets showing broad-based strength. Industry observers forecast that the sustained semiconductor boom will lead to expanded hiring in related positions.

3. KT Recruits Key Figure Behind 'LG's Foundation Model,' Accelerates AX Push

- Key Summary: KT recruited Choi Jeong-gyu, a senior vice president from LG AI Research Institute, as head of the AX Future Technology Center and launched a sweeping reorganization integrating existing AI research units. Analysts say the move aims to consolidate AI leadership that had been fragmented under former CEO Kim Young-shub and accelerate the development of proprietary AI technology. SK Telecom (017670) unveiled an ultra-large AI model with 500 billion parameters, and LG Uplus (032640) is pursuing overseas exports of its AI call agent, signaling an all-out AI competition among the three telecom carriers. Industry observers say demand for both AI model development and infrastructure personnel is expanding simultaneously.

4. Nvidia Invests $2 Billion in Marvell… Connecting Big Tech's Custom Chips Too

- Key Summary: Nvidia made a strategic investment of $2 billion (approximately 3 trillion won) in Marvell Technology, a fabless semiconductor design specialist. The two companies will combine their chip interconnect technology "NVLink Fusion" with Marvell's custom AI semiconductors and collaborate in silicon photonics. Analysts say the strategy aims to solidify Nvidia's central position in AI computing by drawing even big tech's custom-designed chips into the Nvidia ecosystem. Industry observers note that demand for specialists in custom AI chip design and next-generation technologies such as silicon photonics is growing.

5. LG Electronics (066570) Introduces 'Post-Retirement Rehiring,' Raises Wages 4% This Year

- Key Summary: LG Electronics, through labor-management agreement, will introduce a system starting next year to rehire retired employees for up to one year. The program applies to both office and technical workers, considering expertise and health status. The average wage increase for this year was finalized at 4%. The company also strengthened its performance-based compensation system reflecting both short-term and long-term results, and expanded benefits including six months of infertility leave. Competition to retain skilled workers is spreading across the industry, accelerating changes in corporate talent development and compensation systems.

6. Lee Kwang-jae: "Tear Down University Walls and Build 'Corporate Cities' to Revive Regional Economies"

- Key Summary: Lee Kwang-jae, co-chairman of the Public-Private Policy Council for SMEs, Ventures, and Small Businesses, proposed transforming regional universities into "corporate city-style campuses" to address the labor shortage at regional small and mid-sized companies. The plan involves attracting corporate R&D centers onto campuses and offering incentives such as military service exemptions and job placement for students in industry-linked programs. He also said tax benefits including earned income tax reductions for graduates who take jobs at local companies after graduating from regional universities could be considered. The proposal envisions establishing 10 specialized university hubs nationwide, which observers say would expand regional employment opportunities.