Incross report: paid AI users in Korea spend 35,932 won a month
The 2026 IAM Report also found 25.9% of South Koreans surveyed pay for generative AI, with ChatGPT the most used paid service at 53.1%.
Paid generative AI subscribers in South Korea spend an average of 35,932 Korean won per month, according to Incross's 2026 IAM Report, released on October 30, 2026. The survey covered 2,000 men and women aged 15 to 69, datanet.co.kr reported.
The largest share of paid users, 44.1%, said they spend between 20,000 and 40,000 won a month. Average spending was highest among users in their 40s at 39,526 won and lowest among teenagers at 29,990 won.
Overall, 85% of respondents said they had used generative AI, up 11.6 percentage points from 73.4% in the previous year's survey. The share paying for an AI service rose 4.6 percentage points to 25.9% from 21.3% a year earlier.
ChatGPT leads paid usage
Among paid services, ChatGPT was used by 53.1% of respondents, followed by Google Gemini at 43.4% and Claude at 15.4%. Information search was the most cited purpose for using the tools, named by 76.8%.
Trust in AI services was reported by 54.2% of users, while 3.6% said they do not trust them. Asked about AI-generated content, 39.4% said they prefer it, 16.7% said they do not and 43.9% were neutral. Separately, 22.3% of ChatGPT users said they had seen ads in the service and 9.2% said they had bought a product or service through an ad link there.
Quick answers
How much do paid generative AI users in South Korea spend per month?
They reported average monthly spending of 35,932 Korean won, according to Incross's 2026 IAM Report.
Which paid AI service is most used in South Korea?
ChatGPT, used by 53.1% of paid users, ahead of Google Gemini at 43.4% and Claude at 15.4%.
What percentage of South Koreans pay for AI services?
25.9% of survey respondents said they were paying for an AI service, up from 21.3% a year earlier.