OpenAI strikes its largest-ever enterprise AI deal with Samsung Electronics

Largest enterprise AI deal in OpenAI's history

Covers all domestic staff and DX division employees worldwide

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong (left) and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shake hands at Samsung Electronics' Seocho-gu headquarters in Seoul last year. [Samsung Electronics]

OpenAI will supply ChatGPT across Samsung Electronics' entire workforce in what the company says is the largest enterprise AI deal it has ever signed. All Samsung Electronics employees in South Korea, as well as all employees in the Device Experience division worldwide, will gain access to ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex. The agreement is expected to accelerate OpenAI's push into South Korea's corporate AI market, with one of the country's largest manufacturers now among its clients.

OpenAI announced Monday that Samsung Electronics would adopt ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex to drive companywide AI transformation and workplace innovation.

The rollout covers all Samsung Electronics employees in South Korea and all employees in the DX division globally.

Samsung Electronics plans to use ChatGPT and Codex across a wide range of functions, including software development, marketing, product development and manufacturing. The company intends to embed generative AI into knowledge work broadly — from information search and analysis to document drafting, idea development and data interpretation.

ChatGPT Enterprise provides security and management features tailored for corporate clients. Through data protection, user permission management and access controls, it allows employees to use AI within the company's security policies and governance framework.

Codex started as a tool for coding tasks such as writing, reviewing and debugging, but has recently expanded into general workplace automation. Employees can use Codex to turn work ideas into functional internal tools, websites and automated processes.

More than 5 million people worldwide use Codex every week, according to OpenAI. Weekly active Codex users in South Korea have grown by nearly 800 percent since Feb. 1.

Kim Kyung-hoon, OpenAI Korea's general manager, said the deal marks a significant milestone in OpenAI's history because Samsung Electronics — a global technology and manufacturing leader — is treating AI not as a tool limited to select teams or tasks, but as a core platform for raising the capabilities and innovation of its employees worldwide. "OpenAI will work closely with Samsung Electronics employees so they can use ChatGPT to execute ideas faster, solve complex problems and create new products and services," he said.

The two companies had already begun collaborating on AI infrastructure. OpenAI has been working with Samsung Electronics on the supply of advanced memory chips needed to build next-generation AI infrastructure. The ChatGPT Enterprise adoption expands the partnership from AI infrastructure into internal workplace innovation and companywide AI transformation at Samsung Electronics.

Meanwhile, competition among global technology giants for South Korea's enterprise AI market is intensifying. Anthropic recently announced the opening of a Seoul office as part of its push into the Korean market, stepping up efforts to win over major conglomerates, startups and research institutions with its Claude model and to expand its developer ecosystem.

OpenAI is also rapidly broadening its footprint in South Korea's corporate and institutional market. Seoul National University recently began providing ChatGPT Edu to all 47,000 of its students, faculty and staff. KakaoTalk has also introduced a feature that lets users ask ChatGPT questions and receive answers directly within group chat rooms.

LG Electronics, LG Uplus, LG CNS, GS Engineering & Construction, Samsung SDS, Tving, Krafton, Toss, Musinsa, Korea Zinc, Nexen Tire and Hanatour Service are among the companies already using ChatGPT Enterprise, the OpenAI API and Codex in their operations and services.

rim@heraldcorp.com