The Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on the 15th that they will sign a memorandum of understanding to spread the industry-wide artificial intelligence transformation (AX) at the main conference hall of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology in Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The agreement is a joint government response to integrate rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) technology into industrial sites to enhance national competitiveness and the productivity of corporations. The three ministries agreed to integrate the AI support policies they have pursued separately and build a full-cycle support system from securing core AX technologies to on-site application and expansion to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The main areas of cooperation are as follows: ▲ strengthening AX capabilities across industries and internalizing core technologies ▲ supporting the commercialization of technology by AI ventures and startups and by small and micro business owners ▲ creating an AX ecosystem centered on regional industries ▲ and ensuring the faithful implementation of AI-related national agendas. In addition, the ministries will promote technology exchanges among industry-academia-research experts under each ministry and work closely to produce results that regions, on-site workers, and the public can feel.
Minister Han Seong-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said, "In an era of an AI great transformation that fundamentally changes the landscape of industry and business, it is an even more urgent situation where small and medium-sized enterprises and micro business owners will find it difficult to survive if they do not use AI," adding, "By enabling ventures, startups, and small and micro business owners to leverage government infrastructure and large corporations' AI technologies and experience through this agreement among the three ministries, it will provide new growth opportunities for AI ventures and startups, and become an important turning point for small and micro business owners to secure future competitiveness."
Vice Premier and Minister Bae Kyung-hoon of the Ministry of Science and ICT said, "The AI great transformation goes beyond a mere technological innovation to become a national survival strategy that determines national competitiveness and future prosperity," adding, "We must combine AI with our manufacturing DNA strengths to build world-leading technological prowess that draws global attention, and to that end, the three ministries will cooperate like one team to pursue consistent policies."
Minister Kim Jung-kwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy emphasized, "AI great transformation is the only solution to overcome the crises facing our industries, such as population decline, stagnant productivity, and China's technological catch-up," adding, "To survive the speed race for survival, we must closely connect AI, data, and manufacturing sites, and leverage our strengths as a fulcrum to achieve technological innovation and the advancement of manufacturing."
Im Moon-young, standing vice chair of the National AI Strategy Committee, said, "With today's MOU among the three ministries as a starting point, we will form a manufacturing task force under the committee and focus on supporting an AI-based great transformation of industry going forward."