South Korea will pilot AI agents for end-to-end autonomous shopping
The South Korean Finance Ministry has announced a regulatory revamp aimed at accelerating AI adoption across the service sector, accounting for 60% of the national GDP. The policy includes the creation of regulatory sandboxes to test AI agents for end-to-end shopping journeys and public-service applications.
Key Takeaways
- New regulatory sandboxes will allow AI agents to handle the entire shopping lifecycle, including transaction and payment fulfillment.
- The policy targets the service industry, which accounts for 60% of national GDP and 70% of employment.
- Government support extends to AI-driven public services, including tax payment, administrative services, and new drug reviews.
- Proposed measures include procurement support and testing permissions to move agentic commerce from pilot stages to production.
Why It Matters
This move signals a shift from model-based AI to agentic commerce where software manages financial transactions and logistics independently. For the streaming and digital entertainment sectors, this regulatory framework likely previews how South Korea will govern in-app commerce and automated subscription management. If successful, these sandboxes will settle early questions around transaction auditing, identity verification, and liability in autonomous shopping. Watch for the publication of specific sandbox criteria and the implementation of the expanded AI Basic Law on July 21 for concrete technical requirements.
Additional Context
The regulatory overhaul follows a significant expansion of South Korea’s financial commitment to the AI sector. Per kmoonshot, June 2026, the national budget for 2026 allocates 10.1 trillion won (approximately $7.27 billion) for AI, a 58% year-on-year increase. This fiscal push includes the '3 Mega Projects' initiative focusing on semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers. Additionally, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that the revised AI Basic Law, taking effect in July 2026, will introduce transparency mandates for high-impact AI systems while prioritizing guidance and financial support over penalties during an initial one-year grace period, per Aju Press, June 20206.
Broader economic indicators suggest this AI pivot is a response to a booming semiconductor export market, which saw a 188% increase in early June 2026. According to ING, June 2026, this momentum led analysts to raise South Korea’s 2026 GDP growth forecast to 4%. The government is now attempting to translate this hardware-driven growth into the services sector by enacting a 'Basic Act on the Development of the Service Industry.' This legislation aims to break down industrial silos, providing a legal foundation for intensive R&D, taxation support, and financing for AI-integrated services reaching beyond manufacturing, per Maeil Business News, July 2026.
Read full article at letsdatascience.com
Enjoy our coverage?
Add StreamingMeme as a preferred source on Google to see more of our streaming news at the top of your Search results.
Add as preferred source