Seoul: Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of OpenAI, is set to visit South Korea on Thursday for the second time in just over two weeks. This visit aims to explore partnerships in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, according to industry sources.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kwon's upcoming visit follows closely after the inauguration of President Lee Jae-myung, who has committed to elevating South Korea into one of the top three AI powerhouses worldwide. This ambition is supported by a substantial national investment initiative worth 100 trillion won (approximately US$73 billion).
During his previous visit on May 26, Kwon announced that OpenAI has established a Korean subsidiary and plans to open its third Asian office in Seoul, following existing offices in Tokyo and Singapore. This move is part of OpenAI's global expansion strategy, which has seen the company establish 11 new offices in major cities, including Paris, Brussels, Singapore, London, Dublin, and Tokyo.
An OpenAI official highlighted South Korea's significance as a partner due to its high engagement with OpenAI's services and the strong potential for collaboration with Korean companies. South Korea is among the top 10 countries globally for ChatGPT users and developers, and it has the second-largest number of paid ChatGPT subscribers, following the United States.
Even before OpenAI's formal entry into the Korean market, the company has collaborated with several major Korean companies. These include internet giant Kakao Corp., game developer Krafton Inc., and mobile carrier SK Telecom Co., focusing on AI technologies and data center development. Kakao is expected to reveal the outcomes of its joint project with OpenAI later this year.