Oh Se-hoon, the Seoul mayor, said he would grow artificial intelligence (AI) innovation into Seoul's new urban competitiveness.
On the 26th, the mayor said this in a video congratulatory message at the SMARTCLOUD SHOW 2026 held at the Westin Josun Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul.
The mayor said, "We are entering a major transition in which AI is changing not only industry and the economy but also how cities are run and people's daily lives," adding, "If ChatGPT led the popularization of AI, AI is now evolving beyond screens into physical AI that makes decisions and moves directly in the real world."
At the same time, he also laid out plans to actually apply new AI technologies across Seoul. He said, "Centering on the 'Seoul Physical AI Belt' linking Yangjae and Suseo, we will create an innovation ecosystem where corporations, talent, and technology gather, and turn places across the city into open testbeds where new technologies can be piloted and verified."
The Seoul city government is already applying Autonomous Driving technology to transportation services, including operating the "Dawn Companion Autonomous Bus" to help commuters in the early morning hours. The mayor said, "In November, we will unveil the nation's first Level 4 robo-taxi without a driver in Sangam."
Support for residents will also be strengthened to expand opportunities to use AI. The mayor said, "Starting in the second half of the year, we will provide advanced Generative AI tools for one year to 500,000 young people in Seoul to open opportunities in the AI era wider and deeper."
He added, "I hope the wisdom we share today will serve as a valuable foundation for moving beyond AI for technology to AI for people."