South Korea to Give Citizens Free AI Access with Unlimited Tokens

This marks a notable state-level experiment in making AI a public utility, with the token-based infrastructure implying a shift toward metered, subsidized access rather than traditional subscription models. The use of three consortia and a shared chip pool suggests a deliberate effort to avoid vendor lock-in, though the limited hardware base—512 chips—raises questions about scalability once nationwide demand hits. The open question is whether this model can sustain quality and latency at scale, or if it becomes a bottleneck that forces prioritization. For the broader RWA/crypto lens, it hints at token-gated access becoming a state-sanctioned template, which could influence how digital resource rights are framed elsewhere.