South Korean AI Contender Upstage on AMD Talks

South Korean AI startup Upstage is in advanced talks with investor AMD to acquire 10,000 AI chips, a deal that would significantly expand its computational infrastructure. CEO Sung Kim met with AMD chief Lisa Su in Seoul to discuss the potential purchase, highlighting strategic alignment between the firms amid growing AI demand. Upstage aims to leverage the chips to strengthen its position in South Korea’s competitive AI market, which Kim described as an intense "squid game" for dominance. The announcement came during the Milken Institute’s Global Investors’ Symposium in Hong Kong, where Kim emphasized Upstage’s focus on scaling AI capabilities. The deal underscores AMD’s push into AI hardware as it competes with Nvidia, while Upstage seeks to accelerate its growth in Asia’s booming AI sector.