Tech Desk 
Feb 04, 2025
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has recently signed a landmark agreement with South Korea’s tech giant Kakao, incorporating ChatGPT into Kakao services. This significant move reinforces OpenAI’s global presence amid increasing competition from Chinese rival DeepSeek.
Kakao, which operates South Korea’s largest messaging app, online bank, and taxi-hailing services, joins OpenAI’s growing partnership in artificial intelligence (AI) development. This collaboration aims to improve user communication and connectivity through cutting-edge AI-powered services.
This strategic move aims to enhance user communication and connectivity, leveraging ChatGPT’s advanced AI capabilities to improve various Kakao services. The integration is expected to provide users with seamless, AI-powered interactions across Kakao’s diverse digital platforms.
Altman is also interacting with leading South Korean semiconductor companies such as Samsung and SK Hynix, to discuss AI memory chip partnerships, especially in high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Meetings with Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group executives emphasise OpenAI’s push to secure cutting-edge chip supply for the AI framework.
While OpenAI is making significant strides in South Korea and other regions, the rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, is disrupting the AI sector. DeepSeek’s launch has interrupted the ever-evolving AI sector, raising concerns regarding its high performance and reduced costs. Several reports suggested that Chinese companies are aiming to duplicate OpenAI’s model using a technique known as distillation, where smaller AI models learn from larger ones by mimicking their decision-making patterns.
In response, ChatGPT manufacturer is increasing cooperation with US authorities, warning that Chinese companies are proactively trying to reverse-engineer its technology. Meanwhile, OpenAI has encountered accusations of intellectual property violations over its use of copyrighted material for AI training.
The Kakao collaboration and semiconductor discussions mark OpenAI’s efforts for global expansion while addressing the increasing challenge from Chinese AI rivals.
