Korea Inc. races to put AI agent on every desk

South Korea’s largest conglomerates—Samsung, SK, and LG—are accelerating AI adoption across their workplaces, shifting from past concerns over technology leaks to a full-scale push for AI-driven transformation. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won announced plans to implement 'one AI agent per person' across the conglomerate, including personalized AI avatars to facilitate communication between executives and employees. SK is also utilizing internal AI technologies like AX, A.Dot Biz Co-Work, and GaiA alongside external models such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. Samsung Electronics, which previously banned external generative AI tools in 2023 due to a source code leak, is now allowing employees in divisions like Device eXperience and Device Solutions to use ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini for work. The company plans to complete AI training for all 2,300 executives by year-end and will discuss AI strategies at its global strategy meeting, including the deployment of its proprietary AI model, Samsung Gauss. LG Group, under Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, has framed AI transformation as critical to its survival, launching a three-stage training program for CEOs and executives. The first phase focused on individual productivity, while the second phase, now underway, aims to apply AI at the corporate level. Starting next month, executives will receive specialized training under the theme 'AI for customers' to develop AI-based commercialization strategies, building on LG’s existing hyperscale AI model, Exaone. The moves reflect a broader industry trend in South Korea, where conglomerates are prioritizing AI integration to enhance efficiency and innovation. Samsung, SK, and LG are investing in both external and proprietary AI tools to ensure seamless adoption across their operations, signaling a competitive race to lead AI-driven workplace transformation.