South Korea launches ambitious 'AI for All' program to provide free public access

South Korea has initiated a bold national program, 'AI for All,' aimed at providing citizens with free, unlimited access to advanced artificial intelligence services. By partnering with major domestic firms like SK Telecom, KT, and Kakao, the government intends to treat AI as essential public infrastructure rather than a premium subscription. The initiative, supported by government-provided Nvidia B200 GPUs, seeks to reduce reliance on foreign AI models while helping citizens navigate government services through dedicated AI agents. While the project aims to bridge the digital divide and foster domestic innovation, experts raise concerns regarding the sustainability of competing with rapidly evolving commercial models and the potential liability issues if public AI agents provide inaccurate information. The program is currently in beta testing, with a full national rollout expected by the end of 2026, serving as a significant test case for government-led AI integration.