"AI for All," an artificial intelligence service being developed by the South Korean government and major domestic information technology companies, will enter closed beta testing on the 16th. The three consortiums taking part in the project — led by SK Telecom, KT and Kakao — will showcase the service to the Ministry of Science and ICT and related agencies, with a full public launch planned for December.
According to the ministry and industry sources on the 14th, the three consortiums will hold a demonstration event on the 16th to present the main features and operating methods of the AI services now under development. The event is intended to let the government and related agencies assess how far the services have progressed and how well they perform before they are opened to general users. Each consortium plans to address issues identified during the demonstration and improve stability ahead of the December launch.
AI for All is a national AI service development project designed to give every citizen free access to AI services. The consortiums are tasked with developing general-purpose AI chatbots and a range of AI services for everyday use, with the aim of improving public access to and use of AI. The government selected the three consortiums led by SK Telecom, KT and Kakao in August following an open call and evaluation process, and each company is developing a differentiated service.
SK Telecom is developing a function that turns user requests into actual actions. Rather than simply answering questions, the AI would directly handle tasks the user wants completed, such as making restaurant or hospital reservations.
KT is developing an AI that links public and everyday services through a single conversation. The idea is to apply AI to services citizens use frequently — public administration, education, finance and shopping — so that multiple services can be accessed in one chat window. KT is also pursuing tie-ups with outside platforms, including the Daum portal as well as Musinsa, Zigbang and Danawa.
Kakao plans to work with LG Uplus and other LG Group affiliates to deliver AI through services already familiar to the public, such as KakaoTalk and phone calls. By allowing users to tap AI within the messaging and calling environments they use daily, without complicated sign-up steps, the company aims to extend its reach even to people who are not comfortable with digital devices or AI services.