South Korea To Give All 51 Million Citizens Free Unlimited Generative AI Access By End Of 2026

South Korea is preparing to make generative AI available to all 51 million residents for free, with the technology built into everyday government and consumer services rather than left as a standalone chatbot.

South Korea Plans Free AI Access For 51 Million People

The programme will give citizens unlimited access to generative AI, allowing them to use the tools for practical tasks such as booking medical appointments, finding homes and getting help with tax matters.

Small businesses could use the services to calculate taxes and check their eligibility for government support, while parents could receive suggested educational materials for their children.

Beta testing is expected to begin in September, with a nationwide rollout planned before the end of 2026.

The Ministry of Science and ICT has selected three technology consortia to deliver the services, led by SK Telecom, KT and Kakao.

Each group is expected to launch a dedicated AI app while also adding the technology to products and services that people already use.

There will be no token limits for users under the government-supported programme.

Korean AI Models Must Handle At Least 80% Of Queries

The programme has a clear domestic focus, with strict requirements on how the AI services are powered.

At least 50% of queries must be processed by each consortium's own certified Korean foundation model, while another 30% must go through models developed by other Korean companies.

This creates an 80% minimum for domestically developed AI.

Foreign models can still be used when the ministry considers them necessary, but that usage will not receive government subsidies.

The policy is designed to reduce South Korea's dependence on major AI services from the US and China while giving local developers a large pool of users to build and improve their models.

Millions Already Use Foreign AI Services

South Korea already has a large audience for generative AI, making the government-backed service less about introducing people to the technology and more about moving existing usage towards domestic platforms.

Ministry figures cited in tender documents show that around two-thirds of South Koreans have tried AI, while roughly 23 million people use generative AI tools regularly.

ChatGPT had 23.45 million Korean users in April, compared with 8.45 million for Gemini and 2.41 million for Claude.

Only around 1.8 million people were paying for an AI service, leaving a large share of users dependent on free offerings from overseas companies.

Up To 512 Nvidia B200 Chips Will Support The Rollout

The government will also provide computing resources to help the three consortia operate their services.

Up to 512 Nvidia B200 graphics processors will be divided between the groups, while the government will contribute towards operating costs.

The Ministry of Science and ICT has not disclosed the programme's total cost.

The funding arrangement is expected to change in 2027, when public-service costs will be covered through the national budget while operators are expected to develop their own revenue sources to maintain the services.

AI Will Be Built Into Government And Everyday Services

The programme is intended to reach people through more than new AI apps.

SK Telecom has outlined plans to make its assistant available through an app, phone calls and text messages, including options aimed at older people who may be less comfortable using mobile applications.

The company also plans to integrate its AI into Government24 and the PASS identity app, where users can request 83 types of official certificates.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the wider government-linked services could also help people book doctor's appointments, search for apartments and receive tax advice.

For businesses, the tools could assist with tax calculations and checking eligibility for state support schemes.

Seoul Is Spending Billions To Build Its AI Industry

The free-access programme is part of a much larger government push to develop South Korea's domestic AI capabilities.

President Lee Jae Myung's administration has allocated about 10 trillion won, worth roughly $7.2 billion, for AI-related spending in 2026. That is three times the amount committed the previous year.

The government is also planning a sovereign wealth fund worth more than 20 trillion won, or about $14.6 billion, for AI and other strategic industries from 2027.

The push comes as South Korea tries to close a gap between its strength in AI hardware and its position in AI computing infrastructure and models.

Companies such as Samsung and SK Hynix are major suppliers of high-bandwidth memory used in AI systems, while the government is now directing more resources towards domestic AI services and computing capacity.

How Does South Korea's Approach Differ From Europe And India?

South Korea's plan differs from efforts elsewhere that have focused mainly on building the infrastructure needed for domestic AI.

The European Commission launched InvestAI in February 2025 to mobilise $232 billion, including $23 billion for large computing sites intended to reduce reliance on non-EU providers.

India approved its IndiaAI Mission in March 2024 with about $1.25 billion, while also making tens of thousands of subsidised GPUs available to startups and researchers and supporting 20 domestic model projects.

South Korea is taking the additional step of putting AI directly in the hands of the public and connecting it to services people already use.

The government has not set a target for how many residents must adopt the new service, but the programme's structure gives Korean AI companies a large domestic market while making locally developed models a core part of everyday digital services.