The South Korean government is launching a new $917 million program to accelerate the application of artificial intelligence technologies in industry. The country’s Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) will announce a competition for AI Transformation (AX) research and development projects by 2026.
The five-year program will invest a total of 1.4 trillion won (about $917 million) in the Gyeongnam and Jeonbuk regions. The Gyeongnam project aims to develop a physical intelligence model based on the joint operation of humans and artificial intelligence to control ultra-precision manufacturing processes. The Jeonbuk project aims to create a physical AI-based software platform for self-driving smart factories that integrate production and logistics systems.
The initiative is part of South Korea’s national strategy to transform four regions across the country into AI innovation hubs. The government believes that the program will increase productivity in the manufacturing industry, accelerate the development of smart factories, and strengthen the country's global AI competitiveness.
