Gwangju City Announces Vision as an 'Artificial Intelligence-Centered City'

Announcement of 4 Major Strategies and 20 Key Tasks Including the Creation of Gwangju-type AI Ecosystem

Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "We Will Make This the First Year of the AI Gwangju Era"

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Lee Yong-seop) officially declared its vision and goals for ‘AI (Artificial Intelligence) Hub City Gwangju,’ along with four major strategies and 20 key tasks, both domestically and internationally.

On the 29th, Gwangju City announced that it held the ‘AI Hub City Gwangju Vision Proclamation Ceremony Opening the Era of Artificial Intelligence in Gwangju’ at the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center.

The ceremony was attended by about 700 people, including Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop, Minister Choi Ki-young of the Ministry of Science and ICT, local members of the National Assembly, city council members, and key local figures.

The event proceeded in the order of the national anthem, congratulatory speeches, a video on the progress so far, the announcement of the AI Hub City Gwangju vision, the launch ceremony of the project group, signing of data sharing and cooperation agreements, and the Gwangju Vision AI Forum.

As the control tower for this project, the Ministry of Science and ICT and Gwangju City jointly launched the ‘AI Industry Convergence Project Group’ to systematically and efficiently promote the initiative, entering full-scale operation.

This is expected to not only provide an important turning point to overcome long-standing backwardness caused by discrimination and neglect and surpass economically advanced cities but also play a pivotal role in leading ‘Korea, the AI-first nation.’

On this day, the vision for the AI cluster project was finalized as ‘Beyond the City of Loyalty Gwangju to the AI Era of Gwangju!,’ with the goal of ‘AI Hub City Gwangju,’ and three core values: ▲Human-centered ▲Sharing and openness ▲Establishment of a Gwangju-type AI business model.

Following this, four major strategies were presented: ▲Creation of AI cluster (5 key tasks) ▲Establishment of Gwangju-type AI business ecosystem (6 key tasks) ▲Building an AI talent development ladder (5 key tasks) ▲Creating a citizen-participatory AI city (4 key tasks), along with 20 key tasks to realize these strategies.

As key tasks, first, to build a world-class AI cluster, five major tasks will be pursued: establishing an AI integrated complex, building a data center, constructing an AI+ demonstration testbed, creating an AI demonstration pilot city, and founding a data industry convergence institute.

Over the next five years, approximately 400 billion KRW will be invested to develop an integrated complex on a 46,200㎡ site in the Advanced 3 District, build a world-class GPU-based data center, and establish a demonstration testbed and AI research functions where companies can freely develop and test products.

To establish a Gwangju-type AI business ecosystem, six tasks will be implemented: nurturing and supporting AI startups, attracting AI companies, creating an AI startup support fund, developing data production, processing and utilization convergence business models, developing industry convergence AI technologies, and supporting global market entry, thereby creating an ecosystem that can develop new business models using data and enter the global market.

To build an AI talent development ladder, five tasks will be pursued: opening the AI Graduate School (GIST), establishing and operating an AI Academy, launching AI convergence university courses, providing AI convergence talent education, and operating AI experience and learning camps, thereby establishing a talent development ladder from kindergarten to graduate school and promoting lifelong AI citizen education.

Additionally, to create a citizen-participatory AI city, four tasks will be promoted: advancing the My Data donation campaign, activating citizen participation through solving daily life problems using AI technology, holding AI cluster forums, and innovating AI-based administrative services.

Over the next 10 years, if these 20 key tasks are implemented, world-class AI infrastructure such as an open data center and supercomputing power will be established in Gwangju. It is also expected to result in 1,000 AI startups, creation of 7,000 jobs, and training of 5,150 AI talents specialized in industry convergence.

The launch ceremony of the AI Industry Convergence Project Group, which will serve as the control tower for building the AI-centered industrial convergence integrated complex, was also held. Former Vice Chairman of the Software Mutual Aid Association, Lim Cha-sik, was appointed as the head of the project group.

In addition, the city signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Korea Electric Power Corporation, KEPCO KDN, Korea Power Exchange, LG Electronics, Naver Business Platform, SKT, KT, LG Uplus, National Information Society Agency, Korea Internet & Security Agency, Chonnam National University Hospital, and Chosun University Hospital to share data and cooperate mutually.

Minister Choi Ki-young of the Ministry of Science and ICT said, “The Ministry of Science and ICT and Gwangju Metropolitan City will pool wisdom and actively communicate to move forward together toward the common goal of realizing ‘Korea as the No. 1 AI nation.’”

Mayor Lee Yong-seop stated, “This year will be recorded as a very meaningful year in Gwangju’s history,” adding, “It will be a turning point for Gwangju to transcend being the political No. 1 city to becoming the economic No. 1 city, transforming from a city people leave to a city people return to, and the first year opening the AI era beyond the City of Loyalty Gwangju.”

He continued, “Especially based on the special DNA of Gwangju citizens (sense of mission, strong spirit of challenge and problem awareness, creativity, and imagination), we will establish a world-class AI integrated complex and lead Korea as the No. 1 AI nation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.