‘Other governments will be watching this closely’ — South Korea starts testing free AI for the public

South Korea is pioneering an ambitious project to make advanced artificial intelligence available to every citizen for free, treating AI access more like essential public infrastructure than a premium software subscription. The Ministry of Science and ICT has selected three consortiums, led by SK Telecom, KT, and Kakao, for the "AI for All" program.

By 2026, Koreans will have unlimited access to domestic AI services, with a beta launch expected before then. The government will supply 512 Nvidia B200 GPUs this year and subsidize costs from 2027.

The project aims to develop AI agents capable of assisting citizens with government programs, applications, reservations, payments, and other tasks. The ultimate goal is to have one AI agent per citizen. While this may draw international attention, South Korea's real value lies in addressing its citizens' dependence on foreign AI services, which can impose usage restrictions and price hikes.

By building a publicly supported alternative with domestic models, South Korea aims to reduce reliance on foreign platforms and support local developers.

Critics argue that offering general-purpose AI subscriptions is impractical due to the rapid pace of AI development and the potential for the government to become underwritten by taxpayers. Instead, South Korea proposes integrating AI with existing public services, such as government call centers, benefit applications, tax assistance, appointment booking, and document creation. This approach would make AI a cost-effective component of providing public services rather than an expensive standalone service.