South Korea has selected SK Telecom, Kakao and KT to build government-backed artificial intelligence services that will give the public free, unlimited access to general-purpose AI chatbots and agents capable of handling public and everyday tasks.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said Friday it chose the three consortiums from six bidders for its “AI for Everyone” project, aimed at expanding access to homegrown AI and strengthening the domestic ecosystem.
The government will provide the three groups with a combined 512 Nvidia B200 graphics processing units this year and plans to subsidize nationwide service costs from 2027. Beta testing will begin in September, with full services due by December.
The project goes beyond conventional chatbots, requiring AI agents that can carry out tasks on users’ behalf, including navigating public services and accessing specialized offerings in areas such as health care, finance, education and housing.
SK Telecom plans an “action-oriented” AI that can take a request from planning through execution. It will be accessible through apps, the web, phone calls and text messages, while using AI-powered calls to reach businesses or government offices without digital interfaces.
Kakao will use KakaoTalk as the main gateway to a service that combines a general-purpose chatbot with agents capable of handling reservations, applications and payments. It also plans to launch a lighter voice AI service with LG Uplus and distribute specialized agents through a marketplace.
KT will connect its service with partner platforms including Daum, Danawa, Musinsa and Zigbang, as well as its own telecom and IPTV channels. Its AI is designed to take users from information searches and comparisons through to completing public or commercial tasks within a single conversation.
The ministry plans to sign agreements with the three groups in September before beginning beta services and a year-end rollout.
herim@heraldcorp.com