Following Sam Altman’s visit, a wave of global AI and IT heavyweights—including Microsoft, SAP, and Anthropic—are coming to South Korea.
Industry experts suggest that these tech giants are eyeing Korea’s high receptivity to innovation as they compete for dominance in the AI technology race.
On Monday, Microsoft announced that CEO Satya Nadella will attend the Microsoft AI Tour in Seoul on Wednesday at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul. He will deliver a keynote
speech alongside GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke, focusing on “Driving Change in the AI Era.”
During his visit, Nadella will meet with key industry leaders, including KT CEO Kim Young Seob, LG Electronics President Cho Joo Wan, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki Sun, and Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung Bae.
On March 20, SAP CEO Christian Klein visited Korea for the first time in three years, highlighting the market’s strategic importance.
“Korea is a crucial strategic market for SAP,” Klein emphasized. “Our major clients, including Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and Samsung SDS, have played a key role in driving our solution innovations for years. The partnerships we built here have served as a launchpad for global expansion.”
Meanwhile, Anthropic, the company behind Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT competitor, recently held its first-ever developer event in Korea and announced plans to establish a local office.
Snowflake co-founders Benoit Dageville and Thierry Cruanes will also visit Korea for the first time since founding the data cloud platform in 2012.
Last month, Altman and SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son also made high-profile visits.
Several factors are driving this surge of global tech leaders to Korea.
Analysts cite the country’s advanced digital infrastructure, high AI adoption rate, semiconductor prowess, and thriving developer ecosystem as key elements that make it a prime testing ground for AI technology validation and collaboration.
Recently, global tech firms have expanded strategic partnerships and formed alliances. As the lines between data platforms, cloud computing, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems blur, companies recognize that securing AI leadership is essential for sustainable growth and survival.
An industry insider noted, “Korean companies are adopting AI faster than many other countries. This rapid adoption attracts big tech firms looking to capitalize on Korea’s AI growth potential. However, this influx of global players could be a double-edged sword for domestic companies, underscoring their need to strengthen their technological capabilities.”