State of AI Report 2026 Highlights South Korea's AI Push
Air Street Capital's report says South Korea backs domestic AI firms through procurement and vouchers, with a 9.9 trillion won 2026 AI budget.
Air Street Capital published the State of AI Report 2026 on October 8, 2026, according to zdnet.co.kr. The report examines how governments are cultivating domestic artificial intelligence industries, and it singles out South Korea's approach as a case of state support for local AI companies.
According to the report, South Korea is backing domestic AI firms' market expansion through government procurement and AI vouchers. The country's AI budget for 2026 stands at 9.9 trillion won, and the government aims to secure at least 50,000 GPUs by 2028.
The report's broader survey data, cited from CNAS, found that 184 government-supported AI projects are underway across 67 countries excluding the US and China, with a total disclosed budget of about $84 billion.
Shift from the previous edition
Last year's edition of the report centred on the AI model competition between the US and China along with large-scale infrastructure investments, a narrower focus than the 2026 edition's look at national industrial policy.
Quick answers
Who published the State of AI Report 2026?
Air Street Capital published the State of AI Report 2026 on October 8, 2026.
What does South Korea's 2026 AI budget amount to?
South Korea's AI budget for 2026 is 9.9 trillion won, according to the report.
What GPU target has the South Korean government set?
The government aims to secure at least 50,000 GPUs by 2028.