Kakao Impact Foundation said on the 19th that it held the finals of the National Senior AI Golden Bell on the 15th. It described the event as South Korea’s first nationwide AI contest for seniors. The contest was linked to the senior division of the private-sector track in the Ministry of Science and ICT’s National AI Competition. It was open to people aged 60 and older who had completed the foundation’s Visiting Senior Digital School program.

Preliminary rounds ran from May through October at 150 senior welfare centers nationwide, with more than 3,000 participants. Four contestants were selected from each of 16 regional representative institutions, sending 64 people to the finals. Finalists had an average age of 71.9.

Contestants competed in three stages: basic AI knowledge, knowledge of AI and digital life and safety, and hands-on use of ChatGPT for Kakao. The Cheongju Naedeok Senior Welfare Center team received the top prize, the Minister of Science and ICT Award. Foundation chairman Ryu Seok-young said it would work to help more seniors use AI in daily life and narrow the digital divide.

The foundation has operated Visiting Senior Digital School since 2024, providing AI-use training at senior welfare centers. The finals connected participants from 16 institutions through a dual-site live broadcast. The foundation said it plans to continue supporting seniors’ everyday use of AI and efforts to narrow the digital divide. The event’s award ceremony included Oh Young-hwan, secretary general of the Senior Financial Education Council; Kim Hyung-sik, chair of the Korea Association of Senior Welfare Centers; Park Seung-yong, head of the Software Promotion Team at the Ministry of Science and ICT; Yuk Sim-na, secretary general of Kakao Impact Foundation; and Lee Yoon-geun, head of Kakao Pay’s ESG Council.

Kakao Impact Foundation said on the 19th that it held the finals of the National Senior AI Golden Bell on the 15th. It described the event as South Korea’s first nationwide AI contest for seniors. The contest was linked to the senior division of the private-sector track in the Ministry of Science and ICT’s National AI Competition. It was open to people aged 60 and older who had completed the foundation’s Visiting Senior Digital School program.

Preliminary rounds ran from May through October at 150 senior welfare centers nationwide, with more than 3,000 participants. Four contestants were selected from each of 16 regional representative institutions, sending 64 people to the finals. Finalists had an average age of 71.9.

Contestants competed in three stages: basic AI knowledge, knowledge of AI and digital life and safety, and hands-on use of ChatGPT for Kakao. The Cheongju Naedeok Senior Welfare Center team received the top prize, the Minister of Science and ICT Award. Foundation chairman Ryu Seok-young said it would work to help more seniors use AI in daily life and narrow the digital divide.

The foundation has operated Visiting Senior Digital School since 2024, providing AI-use training at senior welfare centers. The finals connected participants from 16 institutions through a dual-site live broadcast. The foundation said it plans to continue supporting seniors’ everyday use of AI and efforts to narrow the digital divide. The event’s award ceremony included Oh Young-hwan, secretary general of the Senior Financial Education Council; Kim Hyung-sik, chair of the Korea Association of Senior Welfare Centers; Park Seung-yong, head of the Software Promotion Team at the Ministry of Science and ICT; Yuk Sim-na, secretary general of Kakao Impact Foundation; and Lee Yoon-geun, head of Kakao Pay’s ESG Council.