58% of Korean Companies Utilize AI, with 81% Reporting Higher Productivity

AI Utilization Rises by 10 Percentage Points Over the Past Year
Adopting Companies Save an Average of 14 Hours per Week
Moving Beyond Adoption Toward Advanced AI Implementation

A recent survey found that 58% of companies in South Korea have adopted artificial intelligence (AI) into their work, indicating an increasing pace of AI adoption.

According to the "Unlocking Korea's AI Potential 2026" study released on September 14 by the research firm Strand Partners, 58% of domestic companies are currently utilizing AI. This marks a 10 percentage point increase from 48% a year ago. The study, commissioned by Amazon Web Services (AWS), surveyed 1,000 corporate leaders and 1,000 members of the general public in South Korea.

Osunyong, Senior Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services, is presenting at a press conference held in the afternoon of the 11th at the AWS Korea headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Amazon Web Services Korea

The introduction of AI has led to tangible results. Among the companies that have adopted AI, 81% reported increased productivity, saving an average of 14 hours per week. Six out of ten companies experienced revenue growth as well. Furthermore, 84% of companies using AI said they expect to increase their use of AI in the next 12 months.

Strand Partners analyzed that South Korean firms are moving beyond simple adoption and are increasingly enhancing their use of AI. Companies at the initial stage, mainly using AI to improve efficiency in work processes, accounted for 54%, down 16 percentage points from last year's 70%.

In contrast, companies that have entered the advanced stage—such as by utilizing agentic AI—more than doubled from 11% to 26% during the same period. By industry, the level of advanced AI adoption was highest in ICT (41%) and manufacturing (35%). By company type, startups saw a high rate of advancement (35%), whereas small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations trailed behind at 25% and 9%, respectively.

The adoption of next-generation technologies, such as physical AI, is also on the rise. Among companies that have implemented AI, 6% have fully adopted physical AI while 22% are currently in pilot stages. Additionally, 39% said they plan to adopt such technology. However, only 24% of respondents said they are fully prepared to introduce next-generation AI. The main obstacles to adoption were cited as a lack of AI and digital competencies (46%) and barriers related to technology and data (38%), each being independent factors.

Nick Bonstow, Director at Strand Partners, commented, "The adoption of AI in Korea is largely established. The next challenge is how to turn this into real economic transformation."

To increase AI utilization, companies highlighted the need for skilled AI talent (48%), data governance and security (44%), and cloud and digital infrastructure (39%) as key requirements. The importance of governance was also underscored: while 64% said they are aware of the Basic AI Act, only 22% stated that they are prepared to comply with the regulations.

Based on the survey results, AWS analyzed that for South Korea to enter the next phase of AI-driven growth, a stable infrastructure, clear regulations, and freedom to choose technology are essential.

Kiho Ham, CEO of AWS Korea, stated, "The real question is no longer whether or not to adopt AI, but how to scale it across the entire business. As AI technology continues to advance, organizations that build robust foundations across data, competencies, governance, and technology will be better positioned to turn successful AI use cases into sustainable business value."

Nick Bonstow, Director of Strand Partners, is giving a presentation via video conference at a press briefing held on the afternoon of the 11th. AWS Korea

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.