[Exclusive] 'Jonghyeong Mujin' OpenAI to Meet Seoul National University Students

Attending a Private Workshop for Developers
Meeting with SK Chairman Chey Taewon and Executives from Samsung and Kakao
Q&A with Students at Seoul National University AI Institute Event

Sam Altman, CEO and founder of OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, is visiting Korea on the 4th, and senior OpenAI executives will visit Seoul National University, where semiconductor researchers are gathered.

According to university and industry sources on the 3rd, OpenAI executives will attend a private workshop called "Builder Lab" for domestic companies and startup developers at the Seoul Plaza Hotel on the morning of the 4th, then move to Seoul National University to participate in a "Q&A with OpenAI" event.

The event, hosted by Seoul National University AI researchers, opened applications to Seoul National University students last month. It is a private event attended only by selected students, and it is expected that OpenAI executives will answer questions in a Q&A format.

Seoul National University explained in the schedule announcement, "Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the latest OpenAI models and hear perspectives on the AI environment directly from OpenAI leadership."

Meanwhile, Altman, visiting Korea for the third time, is reportedly scheduled to meet with domestic business figures such as SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Samsung Electronics executives. Previously, he first visited Korea in June 2023 at the invitation of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and in January last year, he visited Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek plant.

His visit is drawing attention amid the global shock caused by the Chinese AI startup "DeepSeek." DeepSeek recently claimed that its large language model (LLM) outperforms GPT-4, causing waves in the global AI market. As a result, major AI companies including OpenAI are accelerating efforts to strengthen technology and expand global partnerships.

During this visit, CEO Altman is expected to announce a surprise collaboration with Kakao and also make a surprise appearance at a press conference held by Jeong Sin-a, CEO of Kakao, at the same venue. The collaboration between the two companies is anticipated to combine Kakao’s large-scale data with OpenAI’s technology to develop Korean language AI models and enhance service sophistication. This raises expectations for the launch of AI services specialized for the Korean market.

Altman’s visit highlights Korea’s growing importance amid the intensifying global AI competition. Especially since the combination of semiconductor and AI technologies is essential, attention is focused on how Korea’s semiconductor industry and AI research capabilities will influence OpenAI’s strategic partnerships.