To promote the use of artificial intelligence (AI) throughout Southeast Asia, Singapore-based tech company Sea Limited and American AI company OpenAI have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU).
In a statement last Friday, Sea stated that the MOU aims to increase the region’s small businesses’ and consumers’ access to state-of-the-art AI tools.
The MOU’s enlarged scope for collaboration, which builds on the Operator launch announced in February 2025, highlights Sea’s dedication to digital transformation and using technology to uplift communities.
This collaboration will involve identifying opportunities across distribution, payments, and commerce that aim to lower the barriers to AI adoption in Southeast Asia by fusing OpenAI’s state-of-the-art AI offerings with Sea’s strong ecosystem and local knowledge.
“AI is one of the most significant technological breakthroughs in human history, and will revolutionize how people connect, discover, and transact in more thoughtful and intuitive ways,
“Our deepening collaboration with OpenAI supports our ambition to stay at the forefront of innovation, while empowering the communities we serve to realize their full potential in the digital economy,” said Forrest Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sea.
Asia is one of the fastest-growing markets for AI adoption and innovation due to its youthful, tech-savvy population and high mobile penetration, said Oliver Jay, Managing Director of International at OpenAI.
“By applying OpenAI’s capabilities in areas like commerce, we look forward to working with Sea as they equip more businesses with smarter tools to manage operations and reach customers,” he added.
Starting with the next 8.8 Sales Campaign, Sea’s e-commerce subsidiary Shopee will launch ChatGPT Plus as a perk for members of its new Shopee VIP loyalty program as the first initiative under the MOU.
When Shopee VIPs in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam sign up as new subscribers on OpenAI’s platform, they can redeem three months of free access to ChatGPT Plus starting on August 8, 2025.
Faster response times, early access to new features like ChatGPT Agent, and the most cutting-edge AI models from OpenAI are now available to Shopee’s most devoted customers.
As Shopee VIP grows geographically, it is anticipated that the advantage will spread to other markets.
