# Sejong University research center, 2 firms join forces to build sovereign AI ecosystem > Source: > Published: 2026-08-04 05:32:02+00:00 A Sejong University research center has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with two artificial intelligence (AI) technology companies to establish a sovereign AI ecosystem. The university said Sunday that its Future GPU Research Institute signed the MOU with Certisilicon and ThetaON on July 7 to reduce reliance on overseas AI semiconductors and cloud computing infrastructure. The agreement aims to build a sovereign AI ecosystem for industries such as defense and manufacturing that require high levels of data security and independent control over AI infrastructure. The three institutions also plan to establish a close industry-academia collaboration framework by combining their expertise in AI semiconductor and GPU research with AI systems software and infrastructure technologies. Park Woo-chan, director of the institute, discussed ways of expanding industry-academia collaboration and conducting joint research with Certisilicon CEO Koh Young-hak and ThetaON CEO Lee Young-hwan after signing the MOU. Certisilicon is an AI semiconductor and computing solutions company that builds gene