Singapore-based tech firm Sea Limited has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with American artificial intelligence (AI) firm OpenAI to advance the use of AI across Southeast Asia.

Sea said in a statement on last Friday that the MOU focuses on making cutting-edge AI tools more accessible to consumers and small businesses in the region.

Building on the Operator launch announced in February 2025, the MOU’s expanded scope for collaboration underscores Sea’s commitment to digital transformation and uplifting communities through technology.

By combining Sea’s robust ecosystem and regional expertise with OpenAI’s cutting-edge AI offerings, this collaboration will include identifying opportunities across distribution, payments, and commerce that aim to lower the barriers to AI adoption in Southeast Asia.

“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.

Oliver Jay, Managing Director of International, OpenAI added that Asia’s young, tech-savvy population and high mobile penetration make it one of the fastest growing markets for AI adoption and innovation.

“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.

As the first initiative under the MOU, Sea’s e-commerce arm Shopee will introduce ChatGPT Plus as a benefit for members of its new Shopee VIP loyalty program, beginning with the upcoming 8.8 Sales Campaign.

From August 8, 2025, Shopee VIPs in Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam can redeem three months of complimentary access to ChatGPT Plus when they sign up as a new subscriber on OpenAI’s platform.

This gives Shopee’s most loyal customers access to faster response speeds, early access to new features like ChatGPT Agent, and OpenAI’s most advanced AI models.

The benefit is expected to extend to additional markets as Shopee VIP expands regionally.

Sea’s revenue jumps 29.6 percent amid strong e-commerce sales