South Korea faces widening AI gap

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT become increasingly integrated into daily life and work, a stark AI divide is emerging, widening the gap between individuals, businesses, and nations based on access and affordability. Unlike the digital divide of the early 2000s, which primarily concerned internet access and digital literacy, today’s AI divide is more complex—and more worrisome. It’s no longer just about whether people can get online, but whether they can afford and effectively use cutting-edge AI tools whose high subscription costs pose new barriers.

Take ChatGPT Pro, for example. For $200 per month, it is widely compared to working with a highly skilled assistant, sometimes equated to having a Ph.D.-level colleague at your disposal. The result is that large corporations, which can afford enterprise-level subscriptions, are rapidly improving productivity, while small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are falling further behind. In a recent Dong-A Ilbo survey, 8 out of 10 employees stated that company size plays a significant role in shaping an organization’s AI competitiveness. As AI tools become more advanced and expensive, institutions lacking financial capacity risk being locked out of progress entirely.

The divide is also apparent at the individual level. According to data from the National Information Society Agency, 51% of South Koreans reported having used AI services. However, that number drops by nearly 20 percentage points among low-income families, people with disabilities, and older adults. Workers with AI skills are estimated to earn 1.56 times more than those without, indicating that socioeconomic status is increasingly linked to AI literacy and job prospects.

Globally, South Korea’s investment in AI is also dwarfed by major powers. The country’s total AI investment reached 1.8 trillion won in 2024—a figure that pales in comparison to the United States and China. Without action, the AI gap between nations could translate into unequal economic power and global competitiveness. Recognizing the risk, the new administration has pledged to position South Korea as an AI powerhouse across three major sectors. But experts stress that a shift in scale and approach is needed. Significant investments and inclusive policies are essential, not just to drive innovation but to ensure its benefits are broadly shared. That includes expanding AI education in elementary, middle, and high schools; providing retraining programs for the workforce; and tailoring AI literacy initiatives to reach vulnerable populations. South Korea has done it before. In the early 2000s, government programs that subsidized internet access and provided free digital literacy classes for students, homemakers, soldiers, and seniors laid the foundation for the country’s transformation into an IT leader. Now, a similar approach may be needed to avoid becoming an AI periphery and move towards AI centrality.