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The direction

Where the AI race is heading

AI competition is moving away from frontier models alone toward control of the stack that turns models into governed execution. That shift is being carried by agent environments tied to enterprise identity, data, workflow, security, and everyday work surfaces, and by model access that is increasingly routed through managed clouds, compatibility layers, owned product surfaces, and access controls. The infrastructure race underneath is widening into financing, datacenter capacity, packaging, and power. What is particular now is that the enterprise operating layer and the eligibility layer are hardening at the same time, so the contest is increasingly about who can execute, where, and for whom.

The move

What actors actually did

OpenAI expands enterprise deployments, Microsoft targets creative AI users with new Surface devices

OpenAI’s enterprise push took a clear step forward, as Samsung Electronics confirmed it is deploying ChatGPT Enterprise and Codex both to its workforce in Korea and across its Device eXperience division globally. This marks a significant validation of OpenAI’s business offerings by a major electronics firm and signals increased adoption of AI productivity tools among large-scale industrial players.

Microsoft introduced updated Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices aimed at creative professionals and AI super users. The new hardware features faster graphics and Qualcomm chips, emphasizing Microsoft's focus on hardware innovation to support advanced AI applications. In parallel, Microsoft continues to strengthen its internal AI strategy, recently forming employee councils and capability groups to guide and accelerate enterprise-wide deployment of AI tools, reducing duplication and sharpening investments.

Elsewhere, Anthropic expanded its footprint in Asia, opening a Seoul office and announcing partnerships with a range of Korean enterprises, including Claude Code deployments at NAVER and Nexon, as well as enterprise-wide rollouts at LG CNS, Hanwha Solutions, and Samsung SDS. This move highlights the increasing competition among leading AI companies to establish regional hubs and relationships in key Asian markets.

Sources