From startup to standard-bearer, Upstage leads South Korea's AI ambitions

By Choonsik Yoo ( September 4, 2025, 06:59 GMT | Insight) -- Upstage, an artificial intelligence startup recognized for developing South Korea’s only frontier model rivaling those of global giants OpenAI, Google, Meta Platforms and Anthropic, is leading a consortium to build a national model under the belief that true technology sovereignty can be achieved only by becoming a global leader. Executive Vice President Kwon Soon-il told MLex in an interview that the company and its AI-native partners are committed to putting everything on the line to develop models capable of competing on the global stage. At the same time, Upstage is focusing on practical business applications, with its systems already widely adopted by major insurers and the nation’s leading newspaper. Upstage, an artificial intelligence startup recognized for developing South Korea’s only frontier model rivaling those of global giants OpenAI, Google, Meta Platforms and Anthropic, is leading a consortium to build a national model under the belief that true technology sovereignty can be achieved only by becoming a global leader....