5 min read
What the AI Basic Act actually asks of an SME
In force since January 2026, the law funds SME AI adoption — and sets an accountability bar worth designing for.
Korea’s AI Basic Act came into force on 22 January 2026. For an SME, two things matter. First, it mandates support — prioritising SMEs and startups for AI-adoption help. Second, it sets expectations for how AI is adopted responsibly.
The practical reading: an adoption plan that names a human owner, documents its data handling under PIPA, and can explain its decisions is both the safer plan and the one most likely to qualify for support.
Designing for it
Start narrow. One high-payback, low-risk use case with a named owner and a data-handling policy beats a broad rollout that can’t demonstrate accountability. That’s the shape of an AI-Adoption Audit — and the shape a government auditor respects.
Start here
Turn the method into your decision.
A Market Snapshot applies this to your exact market — sourced, confidence-scored, and signed.