South Korea is rapidly cementing its position in the artificial intelligence landscape, driven by the launch of innovative homegrown models like Solar Pro 2. Upstage created this new large language model and released it to the public in July 2023. At 31 billion parameters, it has been explicitly trained to meet the needs of the Korean language and culture. It has led the field from other major competitors around the globe, in heavy Korean standards like the KOTI benchmark. This milestone underscores its promise to be a serious competitor to the likes of OpenAI and Google.
The country’s commitment to becoming a world leader in AI development. It has unveiled a sovereign AI project, promising ₩530 billion ($398 million) to nurture five domestic firms that are creating large-scale foundational models. This financial support is intended to create an ecosystem where homegrown developments can take form and compete with international competitors.
Solar Pro 2: A Local Powerhouse
Solar Pro 2 is a huge step forward, not just for Hanwha’s markets, but for South Korean AI capabilities. At 31 billion parameters, it is the largest model of any kind to date that beats global models on extensive key benchmarks. Moreover, it is providing a highly economical platform tailored for South Korean users.
“Solar Pro 2 has outperformed global models on major Korean benchmarks. With this project, Upstage aims to achieve a Korean language performance of 105% of the global standard.” – Soon-il Kwon
The model’s design better illustrates the complexities of the Korean language, which it was created to serve. International AI developers frequently miss these nuances as well. This localization allows Solar Pro 2 to be particularly advantageous for customer service, educational and content development applications that reside specifically within Korea.
Solar Pro 2 has the best performance metrics on the market. Additionally, Artificial Analysis has designated it as a frontier model. This recognition is a testament to its amazing technical prowess. It further underscores the growing importance of South Korean tech innovations in the global technology landscape.
Naver Cloud and SK Telecom Join the Race
Solar Pro 2, Upstage’s latest release, builds off of that momentum. At the same time, other South Korean tech firms are establishing themselves in the rapidly growing AI market. In 2021, Naver Cloud released its cutting edge language model, HyperClova. Now, in 2023, they have announced an improved version, HyperCLOVA X, and a whole suite of new products. This move highlights Naver’s dedication to refining its AI suite and staying competitive in the fast-paced market.
Additionally, SK Telecom launched its own rival personal AI agent, A., late in 2023. In July, the company launched a new generative AI-native large language model, A.X. This model comes in two versions: a robust 72-billion-parameter variant and a lighter 7B version aimed at broader applications.
“SK Telecom’s role is to act as a bridge between cutting-edge model research and real-world impact. With our telecom infrastructure, extensive user base and proven service like A., we bring AI directly into everyday life, whether in customer service, mobility, or manufacturing.” – Taeyoon Kim
The competition among these companies underscores South Korea’s ambition to lead in AI technology and create solutions that resonate with local users.
Advanced Features and Future Prospects
Another significant competitor in this developing market is Exaone, who recently released their ExaDeep model, with enhanced reasoning abilities. In total, Exaone 4.0 (32B) has performed the best in the Intelligence Index benchmark published by Artificial Analysis. This performance is further evidence that it can hold its own and even thrive in the face of stiff domestic and global competition.
The joint ventures of these global, national, and local players are a clear indication of the ambition to innovate at all levels within South Korea’s AI ecosystem. If these models are anything to go by, as they continue to proliferate, we should see them creating much more economic development and improving local services.
South Korea is making great advances, investments, and leaps in AI. It is seeking to expand its influence and capabilities and build an ambitious global role.