South Korea offers free internet access to all citizens
South Korea plans to provide all its citizens with free access to artificial intelligence (AI) services. This will be implemented as part of a state program called "AI for All."
According to The Wall Street Journal, participants in this program will be able to use AI services without restrictions on tokens, that is, in practice, an unlimited number of times. The main goal of the government is to expand the use of local AI models and reduce the country's dependence on US and Chinese technologies.
**AI will be integrated into government services**
As part of the program, AI will also be widely introduced into government services. Citizens will be able to use AI to make an appointment with a doctor, get advice on finding housing, or get information on taxes.
Small businesses will be provided with tools to help calculate taxes and determine their eligibility for state benefits. Parents will also be able to use AI recommendations on their children's education.
The services will be provided by three South Korean technology consortia, which include the country’s two largest telecommunications companies and Kakao. Each consortium will develop a separate AI application and integrate the technology into its existing platforms.
**The government will also finance the AI infrastructure**
The government will also provide the necessary computing power to the companies participating in the project. The consortia will be allocated up to 512 Nvidia B200 accelerators, as well as help cover their operating costs.
Beta testing of the program is scheduled to begin in September, with full launch planned for the end of 2026.
The administration of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has allocated about 10 trillion won, or about $7.2 billion, for the development of artificial intelligence in 2026. This is almost three times more than the previous year.
**South Korea has a high demand for AI**
The country also has a high demand for AI services to implement such a program. According to government estimates, about a quarter of South Korea’s population already pays for generative AI services.
In the United States, this figure is only 2 percent. At the same time, more than 20 million Americans use free versions of neural networks.
Therefore, the South Korean government is paying great attention to the development of local AI services. The program is aimed not only at catching up with leading countries in the field of artificial intelligence, but also at strengthening the country’s technological independence.
That is, in the future, it is planned that the AI services that South Korean citizens use in their daily lives will rely on national models and local infrastructure, not on foreign platforms.