Naver to Receive $10 Billion Investment, Build Global AI Factory

Naver is pushing ahead with an artificial intelligence infrastructure investment project worth up to $10 billion, or about 14.63 trillion won, with NVIDIA and global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management. The move marks a bold step beyond its core platform business in search, advertising and commerce, as the company expands into an infrastructure provider that supplies data centers and AI computing resources to outside customers.
■"A major opportunity to expand Naver's AI know-how"
According to the IT industry on the 26th, Naver, NVIDIA and Brookfield Asset Management unveiled plans to expand sovereign AI Factory infrastructure in Korea at the 'AI Summit' held in San Francisco on the 24th local time. At the event, Lee Hae-jin said, "This investment will be a major turning point that allows Naver to leap to a new stage." He added, "Not only the capital provided by the two companies, but also their global brands and networks, will be a great opportunity to expand Naver's know-how."
Under the investment structure, NVIDIA will invest $1 billion in Naver, while Brookfield Asset Management, as the exclusive capital partner, will raise up to $9 billion through a non-binding letter of intent (LOI). If Brookfield's actual fundraising falls short of the maximum amount, Naver will provide the remaining funds needed for the project.
Through the investment, Naver is expected to pursue financing and overseas expansion for a gigawatt-scale AI Factory business at the same time. An AI Factory is a facility that combines AI models and cloud technologies with data centers equipped with large-scale GPU servers, ultra-fast networks, and power and cooling systems to provide the computing power needed for AI training and inference. Naver said it plans to begin operating a 55MW AI Factory in Korea with NVIDIA in the first half of next year, expand to 100MW including overseas infrastructure, reach 200MW in 2028, and ultimately build a 1GW-scale AI Factory. Brookfield Asset Management is a Canadian asset manager with more than $1 trillion in assets under management. Last November, it launched a $100 billion AI infrastructure investment program with NVIDIA and others.
■From platform company to AI Factory company
The partnership is seen as a result of the three companies' interests aligning. Naver needed capital and a sales network to expand its full-stack AI capabilities, built through the direct design and operation of data centers, into global markets. The collaboration makes overseas expansion easier. NVIDIA can go beyond supplying GPUs and help spread an AI Factory standard that combines semiconductors, servers, software and data centers. Brookfield Asset Management views power, data centers and cooling facilities as core AI infrastructure assets, and it is seeking synergies with its vast energy infrastructure portfolio.
[email protected] Joo Won-kyu Reporter