AI Skills Key to Korea's Future, Microsoft Expands Local Partnerships: Satya Nadella
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted wide AI skill diffusion as a core driver of economic growth in his keynote address to the 'Microsoft AI Tour 2025' in Seoul. He highlighted the strong human capital and AI competencies of South Korea, which he believes would be the engine of the future economy.
"You get to see huge productivity benefits from AI. And this is not specific to Microsoft. It is happening here in Korea, with all types of customers everywhere", Nadella mentioned, pointing to how South Korean businesses have used Microsoft's AI offerings, including Copilot, to improve productivity and customer care.
He cited the nation's various industries, ranging from gaming to retail and manufacturing, that are using AI for concrete returns on investment and productivity increases. Nadella specifically highlighted Microsoft's 2.4 trillion-won ($1.65 billion) deal with South Korean telecommunications giant KT Corp., inked last year. He called the partnership a shared vision to tap the potential of AI in changing everyday life and the economy.
"We are also very conscious that one of the most critical things for us to all do together is to make sure the diffusion of skills about AI is broad", he added. "It's the human capital of Korea and the AI capability of Korea, that combined, will build an economy that thrives way into the future".
Nadella also sat down with KT CEO Kim Young-shub prior to the event to address their alliance's expansion, particularly the creation of AI models specific to the Korean culture and language. The partnership also seeks to roll out additional cloud services targeting local companies.
Emphasizing optimism about South Korea's AI future, Nadella reaffirmed that Microsoft's initiative with KT will speed up the country's economic growth. "We teamed with KT to actually make sure that we can deliver that next level of capability that is being developed locally around our platforms to power the rest of the Korean economy", he said.
As AI quickly revolutionizes industries globally, Microsoft's expanding collaboration with South Korean companies heralds an intention to cultivate innovation and economic growth in the country.
