South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT began accepting proposals Monday for a government-backed artificial intelligence service that will give every citizen free access to a chatbot and a public-service assistant. The "AI for Everyone" project is designed to ensure that access to AI does not depend on income, age, or digital literacy, and the first service is expected to launch before the end of the year.
The ministry will select two or three private companies with direct-to-consumer experience. Applications close Aug. 11. Chosen firms will receive a combined 512 Nvidia B200 graphics processing units to build the infrastructure. Beginning in 2027, the government plans to provide budget support for nationwide operation.
How the AI service will work
The offering will include a general-purpose AI chatbot that anyone can use at no charge. Developers must build at least half of the system using South Korean AI models that meet the government's independent foundation-model standards. A separate public-service AI agent will identify benefits and administrative programs relevant to individual users, notify them ahead of deadlines, and help with applications.
The service is a direct response to a digital divide that the government's own survey quantified. Only 31.9% of people considered digitally vulnerable - including older adults and low-income residents - had used AI services, compared to 59.4% of the general public. The ministry wants to close that gap as AI becomes more central to employment, education, and government transactions.
The push for an AI basic society
Deputy Prime Minister and Science and ICT Minister Bae Kyung-hoon described the project as part of a broader vision for an "AI basic society," where the technology improves healthcare, education, financial services, and public safety. Bae acknowledged that AI can increase productivity but also risks job losses and greater concentration of wealth.
"AI for Everyone will create equal opportunities for everyone," Bae said at a news conference in May. He compared the proposed service to calculators and computers that became basic tools in earlier stages of technological development. "AI for Everyone is more than a single service. It will help people work, learn and live their daily lives together with AI."
The government's ultimate goal is a system in which every citizen uses a personalized AI agent by 2027. For policy makers, understanding the design and rollout of such large-scale public AI initiatives is becoming essential. The AI Learning Path for Policy Makers provides a structured way to build that expertise.
Why this matters for government professionals
This project is not a pilot or a limited trial. It is a nationwide, publicly funded deployment of AI infrastructure meant to reshape how citizens interact with government services. Public-sector professionals will need to manage procurement, integrate AI into existing workflows, and ensure equitable access - all while the technology itself evolves. The model may also influence how other governments approach AI-driven public service delivery.
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