South Korea to launch public AI agents by December

The South Korean government is advancing a national AI strategy focused on two main pillars: developing sovereign foundation models and deploying widespread public AI services. Under the ‘AI for All Project,’ the government aims to launch a universal AI chatbot service by December, which will evolve into ‘AI agents.’ Unlike traditional chatbots, these agents are designed to perform administrative tasks, such as identifying eligible welfare benefits, preparing necessary documentation, and facilitating application processes for citizens.

To ensure technological sovereignty, the government is supporting the development of domestic foundation models through the ‘National Representative AI’ project. This initiative seeks to reduce reliance on foreign models like ChatGPT. Participating companies in the public service rollout are required to utilize domestic AI models for at least 50% of their services, while also incorporating other domestic models to foster a competitive ecosystem.

Key industry players, including SK Telecom, KT, and Kakao, are involved in consortia to develop these services. The government plans to provide significant infrastructure support, including B200 GPUs and data processing resources, to help bridge the digital divide and integrate AI into sectors such as housing, education, and social welfare.