Naver has moved to secure next-generation AI infrastructure by investing in offshore artificial intelligence (AI) data center technology that uses wave power generation.
Naver said on the 13th that it invested in U.S. startup Panthalassa. Founded in 2016, Panthalassa is developing data center technology that performs power generation, AI computation, and server cooling on a floating platform at sea. As the spread of AI has made securing data center power a major task for the global industry, the company is focusing on a new infrastructure model that uses renewable energy.
The core of Panthalassa's approach is a structure that combines wave power generation facilities and a data center into a single floating "node." It is designed to generate electricity from waves without separate power plants or fuel supply and to use seawater for server cooling. Not having to secure onshore sites also reduces land expense, which is another advantage.
AI computation results processed on the node are transmitted to land via low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks such as Starlink. The company said this can lower dependence on separate undersea cables or large transmission grids while reducing geographic constraints.
Panthalassa previously conducted offshore demonstrations through the "Ocean-1" and "Ocean-2" platforms. It plans to deploy a next-generation "Ocean-3" for demonstration within this year and pursue commercialization in 2027.
Choi Soo-yeon, Naver's CEO, said the company is securing differentiated infrastructure through global partnerships as it expands its AI data center business, and noted it will make preemptive investments in next-generation technologies such as wave power-based data centers to strengthen global AI infrastructure competitiveness.