Bone AI, a Seoul‑Palo Alto startup founded by former MarqVision co‑founder DK Lee, raised a $12 million seed round led by Third Prime with strategic investment from Kolon Group. The company is building a unified AI platform that combines software, hardware and manufacturing to create autonomous aerial, ground and marine systems for defense and government customers. Early contracts, including a seven‑figure B2G deal and participation in a Korean government logistics program, demonstrate rapid market traction. Bone AI’s acquisition of drone maker D‑Makers and its focus on a “physical AI” supply chain aim to position South Korea as a hub for next‑generation defense robotics. Read more →

AMD is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy to create two sovereign AI supercomputers, Lux and Discovery, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The systems will use AMD Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs and advanced networking, and are slated for deployment in the mid‑to‑late 2020s. Backed by a $1 billion mix of public and private funding, the machines aim to boost U.S. scientific research, energy innovation, health breakthroughs, and national security, giving the country an early advantage in AI‑driven discovery. Read more →

Seoul has unveiled a sovereign AI program that funds five domestic firms—LG AI Research, SK Telecom, Naver Cloud, NC AI and Upstage—to build large language models optimized for Korean language and culture. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on foreign AI services, improve data security, and position South Korea to compete with global players such as OpenAI and Google. Each company brings a distinct strategy, from hybrid reasoning models and telecom‑driven data pipelines to full‑stack cloud ecosystems and cost‑effective startup solutions. Read more →