Microsoft CEO Supports Korean Firms in AI Development

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the company’s commitment to supporting Korean partner businesses within its artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem during the Microsoft AI Tour held in Seoul.

Nadella's visit to Korea began with hosting an AI forum that brought together various Korean enterprises to explore ways to strengthen their collaborations. Throughout his two-day trip in Seoul, he had the opportunity to meet numerous high-profile business leaders, including KT's CEO Kim Young-shub, LG Electronics' CEO Cho Joo-wan, and HD Hyundai's CEO Chung Ki-sun.

AI Transformation in Korea

During his keynote address, Nadella stressed that AI is rapidly transforming everyday life and business practices in Korea. He highlighted that companies across sectors such as consumer goods, energy, and industrial fields are discovering new growth opportunities by embracing AI technologies.

"We are a tech company that is fundamentally driven by our mission to empower every person and every organization, starting with one country and one community at a time," Nadella remarked.

He further shared his enthusiasm about returning to Korea annually to witness the ongoing innovations driven by local entrepreneurs, businesses, and public sectors, specifically in areas like healthcare and education.

Korean Companies Utilizing Microsoft AI

Nadella introduced several success stories showcasing how Korean companies are using Microsoft’s Copilot AI tool and Azure cloud platform to innovate within their operations.

KT took the opportunity during the forum to present its initiatives aimed at fostering AI and cloud technology, building upon their strategic partnership with Microsoft established last year. KT announced its plans to implement Microsoft Copilot across its business units and highlighted its pursuit of creating an AI-enhanced internal work system.

Additionally, the two companies are set to collaborate on the AI Skilling Initiative, which will provide educational resources for Koreans interested in advancing their AI knowledge.

Strategic AI Collaborations

On a preceding day, KT's CEO welcomed Nadella to their headquarters located in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. They discussed the AI transformation and their joint project to create a Korea-specific AI model, which will be trained based on Korea's unique history and philosophy.

This specially designed AI model is expected to be launched commercially in the second quarter of this year. The discussions also emphasized ongoing partnerships aligned with Microsoft’s vision for next-generation AI model development.

The leadership meeting further included the AX Leader Summit, which featured notable figures such as POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa, HD Hyundai CEO Chung, and leaders from South Korea’s finance sector.

Collaboration with LG Electronics

Beyond KT, Nadella also met with LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan and LG CNS CEO Hyun Shin-gyoon post-forum. The discussions revolved around their strategic partnership, focusing on the joint development of an AI agent, as initially announced at CES 2025.

Furthermore, they explored integrating LG’s cooling technologies into Microsoft’s AI data centers, with Cho expressing optimism about their nearing agreement. He noted, "This meeting confirmed our shared vision between LG Electronics and Microsoft, along with discussing potential collaborative projects in India, leveraging the region's growing infrastructure and research capabilities."

During the forum, Nadella showcased LG Electronics' Q9 AI home robot, which utilizes voice synthesis technology powered by the Azure OpenAI service, illustrating advancements in AI.

In a significant development, Nadella also introduced two new reasoning AI agents for Copilot named Researcher and Analyst. He explained that reasoning within AI involves using knowledge to solve problems, derive conclusions, and make predictions.

Microsoft, AI, Korea, business, partnership