(LEAD) S. Korean firms unveil plans for gov't-led AI project

Three consortia, each headed by SK Telecom, KT, and Kakao, announced their plans for a government-backed AI initiative in Seoul on Friday. The venture aims to create AI services accessible to all. CEO Jeong Jai-hun of SK Telecom, KT CEO Park Yun-yeong, and Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a attended the press event. The science ministry recently chose the three teams to develop services for the "AI for all" program, part of efforts to enhance people's access to AI models.

Developers must utilize domestic AI models for at least half of their systems, with government funding and GPU assistance. The initiative has been allocated 250 billion won (US$184.6 million) in the science ministry's budget for the following year. The overarching objective of the "AI for all" project is to have homegrown AI services seamlessly integrate into daily life, according to Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon.

He urged the companies to launch services this year to improve convenience and create a new domestic AI market. Companies are targeted to release their services by year-end. The Kakao-led consortium plans to launch a universal chatbot and an AI agent focused on public services using its Kanana AI model and an AI model from LG AI research.

They aim for 5 million monthly users by December and 30 million by 2030, CEO Chung Shin-a announced. KT's team unveiled a real-time search-based AI agent and a platform linking around 10 AI services in various sectors, including public services, education, finance, and shopping. SK Telecom's group intends to launch an agentic AI service capable of answering user queries and performing tasks like identification, applications, and purchases.

CEO Jeong emphasized the significance of securing a sovereign AI model, highlighting that local companies will gain a competitive edge due to their ability to create AI models tailored to their language and understanding of people's lifestyles.