- Yonsei University opens “AI Semiconductor Innovation Lab” to train more than 110 master’s and doctoral-level specialists over six years through research in AI system architecture design and NPUs

The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT, Minister Bae Kyunghoon), together with the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP, President Hong Jin-bae), announced the opening of the AI Semiconductor Innovation Lab at Yonsei University’s Shinchon Campus (Engineering Hall D) on September 17 at 2 p.m.

The ceremony was attended by Yonsei University President Yoon Dong-sup; Prof. Lim Jun-seo, Director of the AI Semiconductor Innovation Lab and Professor in the Department of Systems Semiconductor Engineering; faculty members and graduate students; MSIT Vice Minister Ryu Je Myung; IITP Director of Strategy and Planning Department Shin Jun-woo; and some 50 industry representatives, who celebrated the opening and exchanged views with participating students.

MSIT has been focusing on nurturing advanced talent in AI semiconductors, a field experiencing explosive global demand and rising technological importance. To this end, the ministry designated six universities as AI Semiconductor Research Centers under its University IT Research Center (ITRC) program, supporting innovative projects led by academia. In parallel, three specialized graduate programs at Seoul National University, Hanyang University, and KAIST have been supported since 2023 to equip students with both AI semiconductor design and AI software expertise.

This year, MSIT further strengthened global competitiveness by introducing a short-term overseas training program at the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) for Korean graduate students in AI semiconductors. In addition, two universities—Yonsei and Sungkyunkwan—were selected in the first half of the year to establish AI Semiconductor Innovation Labs, where universities and companies jointly develop the skills needed in industry. Each lab will receive annual funding of KRW 2 billion (KRW 1 billion in the first year), for up to six years (3+3). The Yonsei lab will train about 20 graduate students annually (10 in the first year, July–December 2025), producing a total of more than 110 master’s and PhD graduates.

The Yonsei AI Semiconductor Innovation Lab will run specialized courses aimed at building a comprehensive understanding of AI semiconductor systems and developing skills in system architecture design. It will also operate industry-demand-driven research projects and multidisciplinary education and research programs.

To this end, the Lab will establish five research units:
AI System Architecture*
NPU** Compilers
AI-Accelerated Computing
In-Memory Computing
AI Applications and Frameworks


※ Please refer to the attached files.