Jason Kwon, OpenAI CSO, Holds First Press Conference in Korea
"Cooperation with Industry, Academia, and Government... Branch Manager Appointment Under Step-by-Step Consideration"
Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer of OpenAI, is speaking at a press conference held on the 10th at Pi Factory in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Photo by Park Yujin
On September 10, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, officially announced the launch of its Korean branch, "OpenAI Korea," and stated that it had discussed investment relationships with the heads of major domestic conglomerates during the recent Korea-U.S. summit business roundtable.
Jason Kwon, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of OpenAI, said during a Q&A session following a press conference held at the Pi Factory Studio in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, "We are considering a long-term investment relationship with Korea," and added, "We see Korea as an important investment destination, so I discussed this when meeting with CEOs of leading conglomerates." Responding to a question about what was discussed with major chaebol leaders, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, at the Korea-U.S. summit business roundtable last month, Kwon indicated that OpenAI views Korea not just as a market but as a direct investment target.
In particular, he emphasized, "Korea is a very important partner for us and one of our most significant partner countries," adding, "We will strengthen comprehensive cooperation with industry, academia, government, and startups by making Korea a key partner in the AI transformation."
Regarding potential investment in an AI data center in Korea or participation in the National AI Computing Center, he said, "Korea's importance will influence how we think about computing partnerships in this region, and this is something we are always considering," suggesting the possibility of future investment.
Specific cooperation plans were also presented. Regarding collaboration with domestic companies such as Samsung, Kwon said, "Samsung and other companies are using our interface, and we plan to continue expanding this to broaden our partnerships."
Collaboration with Kakao will be centered on APIs. He explained, "In terms of AI infrastructure, we can build it together with Kakao and other companies," and added, "We can collaborate based on API models." Kakao is currently developing an AI assistant called "Kanana" that is integrated with OpenAI.
Partnerships with academia are also being accelerated. Regarding the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Seoul National University on September 11, Kwon explained, "This is a partnership focused on research, and it will address how we can mutually collaborate on quality AI research."
Cooperation with the political sector is also active. When asked about plans to meet Lim Moon-young, Vice Chair of the recently launched National AI Strategy Committee, he said, "Every time I come to Korea, I meet with various political figures, and this time will be similar," expressing his commitment to collaboration.
OpenAI Korea is the third branch in Asia and the twelfth worldwide. Regarding the appointment of a branch manager, Kwon said, "We will be able to share more news soon," but also noted, "This is something we are considering step by step," taking a cautious stance.
OpenAI announced that the number of weekly ChatGPT users in Korea has quadrupled over the past year, and the number of paid subscribers has increased more than threefold compared to the previous year. On September 12, the company will host "Founders Day" for startups and developers, and in November, it will hold the "DevDay Exchange" event in Korea.
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