OpenAI Names Cutback Winner of First Model Masters in Seoul
Cutback showed OpenAI models pulling 140 highlight clips from 16 hours of soccer footage at the October 23 event for 11 startups.
OpenAI held its first OpenAI Model Masters event at its Seoul office on October 23, 2026, with 11 startups presenting products and features built on OpenAI models. Cutback, developer of the AI video editing solution Selekts, won the event, OpenAI announced on October 26, 2026.
Participating companies demonstrated AI use cases in work automation, website creation, commerce, bio research and video content production, and several services built on voice models were also shown. OpenAI provided API credits to startups recommended by venture capital firms.
Cutback demonstrated extracting 140 highlight clips of a specific player from 16 hours of soccer match footage using OpenAI models' video understanding. It also presented a case of producing five edited videos, plus shorts and thumbnails, from a 3-hour 31-minute live broadcast source.
The company was cited for using an editor-built evaluation dataset to select models suited to cost, speed and quality per task and applying them to actual editing work.
Startup program
Model Masters is a program supporting startups in applying AI technology to real products and services, and OpenAI said the Seoul event was its first edition. Han Yu-ha, OpenAI's account director for startups, was among those involved in the Seoul event.
Quick answers
Who won OpenAI Model Masters in Seoul?
Cutback, developer of the AI video editing solution Selekts, won the event.
When was the first OpenAI Model Masters held?
It was held on October 23, 2026 at OpenAI's Seoul office, and OpenAI announced it on October 26, 2026.
How many startups took part?
Eleven startups presented products and features built on OpenAI models.