The South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT has selected three consortia to implement the "AI for All" government initiative. By the end of the year, the authorities plan to offer citizens unlimited free access to AI services without any restrictions on the number of inquiries.
The project will be operated by groups led by SK Telecom, Kakao, and KT. Agreements will be signed with these companies in September, followed by the commencement of beta testing.
The government will provide a total of 512 Nvidia B200 accelerators to the companies involved. Starting in 2027, the state budget will cover the costs associated with providing these services to the public. The total cost of the entire program has not yet been disclosed.
AI to Facilitate Access to Government Services
AI for All aims to launch not only universal chatbots but also AI agents. These agents will be able to autonomously search for government benefits available to users, assist with application processes, and perform other daily tasks.
SK Telecom plans to make the service accessible via an app, web browser, phone calls, and SMS. The AI agent will be able to find contact information for organizations and make calls on behalf of the user. Specific functions will focus on healthcare and finance.
Kakao is set to integrate chatbots and agents into its messaging platform and will offer specialized solutions for taxation and elderly care. KT plans to connect AI with Daum and partner services, such as Musinsa and Zigbang, focusing on education and real estate.
In the future, authorities expect to transition from standard chatbots to personalized agents. After 2027, the Ministry aims to develop the concept of “one AI agent for each citizen.”
At Least 80% of Inquiries to Be Handled by Korean Models
A key objective of the program is to reduce the country's reliance on foreign AI platforms. According to the project's terms, at least 50% of each service's operations must be based on the operator's proprietary South Korean model, with an additional 30% from neural networks developed by other local creators.
Foreign models will only be permitted when necessary, and government subsidies will not apply to their use. This means that at least 80% of the services’ operations must be powered by Korean solutions.
According to the Ministry, approximately two-thirds of South Koreans have already utilized artificial intelligence, with around 23 million people using generative services. In April, the monthly user base for ChatGPT in the country was estimated at 23.45 million, while Gemini had about 8.45 million users and Claude had 2.41 million.
The authorities view the limited free tiers of foreign platforms as a potential risk, as access conditions could change due to subscription price increases or service discontinuations.
It is worth noting that in late July, Nvidia, Naver, and Brookfield announced plans to increase the capacity of the AI Factory being constructed at the GAK Sejong data center from 55 MW to 200 MW by 2028.