Sunghee Yun

Co-founder & CTO @ Erudio Bio, Inc., KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative Fellow @ Salzburg Global Seminar, Adjunct Professor @ Sogang University, Advisory Professor @ DGIST

Abstract

“The AI Architecture Decoded” examines the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence technologies and hardware innovation, highlighting the intersection of technological advancement and geopolitical competition. The presentation explores the exponential growth in AI capabilities, from the deep learning revolution beginning in 2012 to recent breakthroughs in multimodal large language models and specialized AI applications, while assessing whether current market excitement constitutes hype or reflects genuine technological transformation.

Central to this analysis is the critical role of AI hardware, including GPUs and specialized AI accelerators developed by both established companies and innovative startups, which face significant technical challenges in scaling to meet increasingly demanding computational requirements. The presentation details how companies like NVIDIA maintain market dominance while competitors such as AMD and emerging startups introduce novel architectures to address efficiency, customization, and software integration demands for next-generation AI applications.

The global semiconductor industry forms the foundation of AI advancement, with the presentation examining how geopolitical tensions—particularly between the US and China—are reshaping supply chains and manufacturing strategies. It analyzes US initiatives like the CHIPS Act alongside China’s push for technological self-reliance, highlighting how this “quiet war” in technology and economics is influencing global innovation patterns and creating a more geographically diversified semiconductor manufacturing landscape with profound implications for future AI development.