Plataine, Nepes to build world’s first chip AI factory in Korea

[Photo by MK DB]

Plataine, a leading provider of artificial intelligence and industrial internet of things (IoT)-based manufacturing optimization solutions, is planning to build the world’s first semiconductor AI factory in South Korea in cooperation with Korean non-memory foundry company Nepes Corp.

Israel’s Plataine and Nepes signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on AI factory cooperation in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sunday. Under the MoU, the two companies plan to establish a joint venture in the first half of this year and transform Nepes’ main production facility in Goesan, North Chungcheong Province into an AI factory.

An AI factory is an advanced facility that carries out operations, such as product production planning, manufacturing process, quality inspection, and inventory management, based on vast data. AI factories are rapidly spreading in industries such as in global aviation, textile, and machinery but it is the first time that an AI factory is being applied to the chip industry.

Earlier, Maeil Business Newspaper proposed at the Vision Korea National Conference held in Seoul on March 22 that Korea should transform its 4,000 manufacturing facilities into AI factories within five years to take the lead in the intensifying competition in the global manufacturing economy. Attention is now focused on whether this AI factory project will pave the way for the construction of more AI factories in Korea.

Moshe BenBassat, founder and chairman of Plataine, told Maeil Business Newspaper in an interview on Sunday that the company looks forward to dramatically enhancing Korea’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity.