South Korea's Ambition to Develop Homegrown ChatGPT
South Korea is set to embark on a mission to create its version of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot originally developed by OpenAI in the United States. Acting President Choi Sang-mok announced the country's commitment to this endeavor, emphasizing the government's unwavering support for research and development in the AI field.
During a recent high-level committee meeting focused on solidifying South Korea's position as one of the top three AI leaders globally, Choi highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government and private sector. He noted that the landscape of the global AI race is evolving rapidly, with significant investments being made by leading AI players in infrastructure.
Challenges and Opportunities
Concerns were raised regarding the emergence of DeepSeek, a powerful AI model developed by a Chinese startup, posing both a potential threat and a chance for advancement for South Korea, which is striving to catch up in the AI domain. In response, Choi assured comprehensive backing for the development of cutting-edge AI models to enhance the country's competitiveness.
To strengthen AI capabilities, the government aims to acquire 10,000 high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) by the end of the year, a substantial increase from the existing 2,000 GPUs as of 2023. GPUs play a vital role in AI development, and South Korea plans to allocate significant resources and research funding to drive AI innovation.
Regulatory Concerns
Recent reports from South Korea's data protection regulator revealed that DeepSeek, developed by a Chinese AI company, had been transferring user data to ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok. In response to these findings, the Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) temporarily halted new downloads of DeepSeek in South Korea due to data privacy issues.
This incident marks the first instance where the regulator confirmed potential data breaches by DeepSeek to an external entity, highlighting the importance of user consent in sharing personal information with third parties, as mandated by South Korean regulations.
Despite challenges and regulatory hurdles, South Korea remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing AI technologies and building a robust ecosystem for innovation in the field.
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