UK Media: South Korea is Making Major Investments in AI, Aiming for Nationwide Coverage

Deep Tide TechFlow reports that on September 27, according to the Financial Times, South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister recently stated: "Artificial intelligence should be regarded as a fundamental infrastructure, akin to 'electricity,' enabling every South Korean citizen to access it affordably without worrying about costs." Last year, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung remarked that this technology has brought South Korea to "a significant historical turning point," asking: "Will we continue to be followers who risk being left behind, or will we become leaders who seize limitless opportunities?" To address this question, the government last month selected domestic telecom companies SK Telecom and KT, along with internet service provider Kakao, to spearhead the "AI for All" initiative. The program aims to provide South Korea's 51.6 million citizens with free access to services similar to ChatGPT and personal AI assistants. South Korea's Deputy Prime Minister explicitly stated on social media that despite concerns about the potential for technology to spiral out of control and lead to catastrophic consequences, South Korea remains determined to become "one of the world's top three AI nations." He wrote: "At present, we have no room to slow down the pace of AI development. We will accelerate progress, but with greater safety." (Jin Shi)