Seoul: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is scheduled to visit South Korea next week to engage in discussions with leading technology companies, including Samsung Electronics Co., as part of efforts to explore collaborations in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

According to Yonhap News Agency, Altman's two-day visit, commencing on Sunday, will include meetings with executives from major South Korean tech firms such as Naver Corp. and Kakao Corp. Altman's itinerary begins with a visit to Samsung's Suwon office on Monday, where he will deliver a lecture focusing on the transformative potential of AI technologies and strategies for AI-driven innovation in the workplace.

Samsung's recent announcement to integrate AI comprehensively into its operations underscores the significance of Altman's visit. This trip marks Altman's first return to South Korea since October last year, when he held discussions with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. These meetings led to the signing of letters of intent with Samsung and SK, paving the way for strategic partnerships in developing global AI infrastructure.

Although there were considerations for a follow-up meeting with Samsung Chairman Lee, industry sources indicate that it is unlikely due to Lee's current business trip to Europe. Similarly, a meeting with SK Group appears improbable given Altman's tight schedule.

Later on Monday, Altman is slated to meet Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a at the company's headquarters in Pangyo, south of Seoul. The discussions are expected to focus on enhancing the integration of ChatGPT with KakaoTalk, Kakao's primary messaging service, particularly in terms of leveraging conversational context across platforms.

Altman's itinerary also includes a visit to Naver's headquarters in Seongnam. With Naver's established cloud and data center infrastructure, the visit could potentially lead to new collaboration opportunities between OpenAI and the South Korean internet giant.