OpenAI and Kakao announced on Tuesday their plans to form a strategic partnership to develop AI products tailored for the South Korean market.
Kakao also confirmed that it will integrate OpenAI’s technology into its services. The announcement was made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Kakao CEO Chung Shina during a press conference in Seoul.
Altman highlighted that several Korean companies will play a significant role in the US Stargate data center project but emphasized that partnership discussions would remain confidential.
Earlier on Tuesday, Altman met with SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and is also scheduled to meet with Samsung executives during his visit. SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics manufacture high-bandwidth memory chips used in AI processors.
In January, US President Donald Trump announced plans for a private sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund AI infrastructure, mentioning OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle’s joint initiative, Stargate.
When asked about OpenAI’s potential investment in South Korea’s AI computing center project, Altman said the company is “actively considering” the opportunity.
Last month, the South Korean government unveiled a plan to establish a national AI computing center, backed by a mix of public and private investment totaling up to 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion).
On Monday in Tokyo, Altman and SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son agreed to create a joint venture in Japan to provide AI services to corporate clients.
