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How Upstage Plans to Win in AI by Building Consumer Products

A South Korean AI company says it can compete with global giants by testing its technology through services people actually use.

By Piggy PressSep 10, 20262 min read 1 new word

In simple terms

This matters because competition in AI is reshaping the tech industry globally, and it affects what AI tools you'll have access to and how well they work. It also shows how smaller companies in countries like South Korea are trying to compete on the global stage.

Hwalsuk Lee, who founded Upstage and leads its technical development, shared his strategy for competing in the fast-growing artificial intelligence market. Instead of just building AI technology in isolation, Lee believes the key is to test and improve the company's AI by releasing it through products that regular consumers use—like apps or services you might download yourself.

Lee made these comments at a major tech conference in Seoul, South Korea. His approach reflects a wider trend in the AI industry: companies that can get their technology in front of real users, gather feedback, and improve quickly tend to win against competitors who stay behind the scenes. For Upstage, a Korean company, this strategy is especially important because it faces much larger competitors from the U.S. and China.

Fun fact

South Korea has been trying to build its own AI champions to reduce dependence on American companies like OpenAI and Chinese companies. Upstage is one of several Korean AI startups betting they can compete globally by moving fast and staying close to what users actually need.

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Source: Bloomberg Markets