South Korea to Launch Free National AI Chatbot This Year — First Among G20 Nations
Summary: South Korea announced a government-funded free AI service for every citizen, built on domestic AI models, with no subscription required through at least 2028.
Key Facts
- Ministry of Science and ICT opened competitive bidding July 14 to select 2–3 private companies to build and operate the service
- At least 50% of the service must run on Korean-developed AI models — a deliberate domestication requirement
- A beta chatbot launches in late September; a full AI agent that proactively surfaces government benefits for individual users is targeted for year-end
- Government funding keeps the service free through 2028; estimated to recapture 23 million users who dropped paid ChatGPT subscriptions
- South Korea is the first G20 nation to combine AI legislation, domestic large-model infrastructure, and national free AI access simultaneously
Why It Matters
Unlike other government AI initiatives that rely on foreign platforms, South Korea's plan mandates domestic AI supply and pairs it with an existing legal framework (the AI Basic Law). If the service reaches scale, it becomes the world's first proof point that a government can meet national AI demand entirely with homegrown technology — a template others will watch closely.