Gwangju City Accelerates Development of AI Services That Citizens Can Experience

Brainstorming Meeting Held to Secure Advancement, Sustainability, and Popularity

On the 11th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, held a brainstorming meeting at his office in the city hall with heads of local artificial intelligence industry-related organizations to discuss the future of Gwangju as an AI-centered city and to explore ways to advance the AI industry, ensuring its sustainability and public accessibility. Photo by Gwangju Metropolitan City

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] On the 11th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, held a brainstorming meeting with heads of local artificial intelligence industry-related organizations to explore ways to advance the AI industry, ensure sustainability, and secure popularity for Gwangju as an AI-centered city.

The meeting was attended by Mayor Lee, Jo In-cheol, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy, Lim Cha-sik, Director of the AI Industry Convergence Project Group, Kim Seon-min, Director of Gwangju Technopark, Tak Yong-seok, Director of Gwangju Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency, Kim Deok-mo, Director of Gwangju Green Car Promotion Agency, Noh Kyung-soo, President of Gwangju Urban Corporation, Ahn Ki-seok, Director of Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Agency, and Son Kyung-jong, Director of the City’s AI Industry Bureau.

The meeting was organized to discuss measures beyond the perception of "AI is Gwangju" held by other local governments or companies, focusing on ways to sustain AI companies settled in Gwangju by making the city attractive so they continue to stay, attract new companies to Gwangju, and provide AI services that citizens can directly experience in the AI-centered city.

Lim Cha-sik, Director of the AI Industry Convergence Project Group, said, "If last year was the preparation phase for the project, this year is the inaugural year to provide full-fledged services to companies. We will discover and promote various demonstration projects in which citizens and companies can participate."

Noh Kyung-soo, President of Gwangju Urban Corporation, stated, "We will complete the preliminary procedures for site development early to ensure the smooth construction of the National AI Data Center, and support the center’s full-scale groundbreaking in the second half of the year."

Tak Yong-seok, Director of Gwangju Information and Culture Industry Promotion Agency, proposed, "Regarding potholes, which are a concern for citizens, let’s build a system that uses core technologies developed by AI companies and drones to repair them, providing services that solve inconveniences citizens face in daily life through AI."

Kim Seon-min, Director of Gwangju Technopark, pledged, "To create an ecosystem that establishes an unmatchable super-gap in the AI field compared to other regions and instills the perception that other local governments, companies, and research institutions must collaborate with Gwangju to pursue AI-integrated projects, we will focus on ecosystem development."

Kim Deok-mo, Director of Gwangju Green Car Promotion Agency, said, "Gwangju should play a central role in manufacturing parts necessary for autonomous vehicles and building demonstration data to support companies. Gwangju is in a favorable position as it is constructing the National Data Center."

Ahn Ki-seok, Director of Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology Promotion Agency, stated, "To cultivate graduates of the AI Academy into practical talents needed by companies, from the recruitment of the second batch of students, we will proceed while maintaining a closer cooperative system with related organizations."

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, "AI has already deeply penetrated our daily lives," adding, "Please do your best so that through the development of Gwangju’s unique and distinctive AI industry and services, citizens can experience AI in Gwangju, and companies firmly recognize that success in AI can only be achieved by coming to Gwangju."

Meanwhile, Gwangju City is investing 411.6 billion KRW from 2020 to 2024 to create an AI cluster on the Advanced 3 District (47,256㎡), innovating the regional industrial structure and building world-class infrastructure that promotes AI convergence.

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