Seoul Learn offers students free access to ChatGPT, other premium AI tools

A promotional poster for the new Seoul Learn AI service / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

For students eager to experiment with the latest artificial intelligence (AI) tools but wary of monthly subscription fees, Seoul has a new offer: free access to some of the world's most popular AI models.

Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it will launch Seoul Learn AI, a new service that will provide 1,000 Seoul Learn members with free access to nine paid generative AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

The program, open to high school students and older learners enrolled in Seoul Learn, will provide up to 10,000 credits per month — equivalent to about $14 (21,000 won) in usage value — for as long as nine months.

City officials said the initiative is designed not only to broaden access to advanced AI tools but also to help students develop the skills needed to use them responsibly and effectively.

The integrated platform will allow users to access ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Llama, Mistral, Qwen, Grok and Upstage from a single interface without requiring separate subscriptions or registrations.

Participants will also complete AI ethics training and undergo AI competency assessments every three months.

The city said the ethics guidelines emphasize five principles: protecting personal information, using AI honestly, verifying facts, recognizing bias and exercising independent judgment.

Students will be able to use AI-powered templates for tasks such as vocabulary building, writing revision and understanding mathematical concepts, while also accessing functions including image generation, text extraction, translation and document drafting.

Applications will be accepted through June 26.

The city said applicants who complete both the ethics training and an initial competency assessment will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, up to 1,000 participants.

Seoul plans to hold an AI expert lecture in September and an AI use case contest in November to encourage students to share practical applications and learning experiences.

Jung Jin-woo, director general of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Lifelong Education Bureau, said Seoul Learn AI is designed to help students learn to use generative AI safely and effectively.

“We will support students so they can apply the latest generative AI technologies to their studies in a trusted environment without financial burden and chart their own growth,” Jung said.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.