Key facts
- Three consortia led by SK Telecom, KT Corp., and Kakao Corp. were selected for South Korea's 'AI for all' project.
- The initiative aims to create an 'AI-basic society' where AI services are accessible to everyone.
- Selected consortia will receive Nvidia B200 GPUs.
- Government budgets will fund the rollout of the AI services.
- Developers are required to use domestic AI models for at least 50% of their systems.
South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT has selected three consortia, led by major tech firms SK Telecom, KT Corp., and Kakao Corp., to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) service accessible to all citizens. This initiative is part of the government's broader 'AI for all' project, aimed at fostering an 'AI-basic society' where AI services are available regardless of income, age, or digital literacy.
The selected consortia will receive a total of 512 Nvidia B200 graphics processing units (GPUs) to build their services. The expenses required for the rollout of these services next year will be covered by government budgets. The ministry intends to finalize agreements with each consortium next month, with the official launch of the AI services scheduled for by the end of the year.
Developers participating in the project are mandated to utilize domestic AI models that meet the ministry's independent foundation-model standards for at least 50 percent of their systems. A total of six consortia initially applied for the project, with applications closing in mid-August.