The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said on the 9th it is recruiting small business owners to take part in the "2025 small business win-win collaboration training." The program is designed to help small business owners understand artificial intelligence (AI) technology and apply it directly to their work.
The training will be promoted as a pilot project to systematize small business AI training courses in 2026. The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to analyze this year's operations and expand it into a full-fledged AI capacity-building program starting next year.
Three private leading AI corporations—Naver, Wrtn Technologies, and Kakao—will take part in the training. On-site and online instruction will run in parallel according to curricula planned by each institution.
On-site training will be offered in seven regions nationwide, including Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gwangju, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, and Jeju. Small business owners may apply individually after considering each institution's training content, location, and schedule. Participants may take one course per institution.
Naver will open four on-site trainings at "Naver Square" in Seoul, Busan, and Gwangju for small business owners in beauty, shopping, and dining. Naver's expert instructors will conduct tailored AI practicums using the Generative AI platform "Clova X."
Wrtn Technologies is preparing AI training in Seoul and Daegu that small business owners across all industries can use. The program will cover understanding and how to use highly applicable AI services such as Wrtn, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. Wrtn's expert instructors, who have extensive experience in AI education for corporations, universities, and public institutions, will lead the lectures.
Kakao is preparing AI training in Jeju, Gyeonggi, Seoul, and Daejeon for small business owners across various fields, including tourism, dining, services, and manufacturing. The program will use ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Kanana, and AI education experts active in the "Kakao Tech AI School Boss Class" will participate as offline instructors.
Small business owners who cannot attend in person can watch live lectures via the YouTube channel "Gongsajang TV." Related AI training content can also be learned online through the "Small Business Knowledge Learning Center."
Lee Dae-geon, small business policy director at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), said, "As AI technology spreads rapidly, small business owners also need to build AI literacy," and added, "We will continue to expand small business AI training courses through cooperation with various private leading AI corporations."
Details on how to apply for the program will be available from Nov. 10 on the official website of the Small Enterprise & Market Service (SEMAS) or through Small Business 24. Separate announcements will be posted by institution, and because training schedules and application periods differ, applicants should check the details before applying.