The South Korean Ministry of Science and ICT announced a 4.7 trillion won (about $3.5 billion) program to develop a cutting‑edge artificial intelligence model. According to the ministry, the project could begin in March 2027.
Funding and organization
The government plans to combine public capital investment with private financing for the program. The initiative aims to concentrate computing capacity, data assets and expert personnel on the development effort.
The lead developer will be selected through an open competition. The ministry said parliament must first approve the 2027 budget, expected in December; following that approval the winner could be designated as early as February 2027.
Who can apply and who will participate
Independent companies, consortia and project companies established specifically for this purpose are eligible to enter the competition. The ministry emphasized that startups, universities and researchers are expected to play leading roles in the development.
Relation to existing domestic program
The ministry stressed that this new initiative is separate from an ongoing domestic base‑model program, which will continue. In that existing program’s third round, two finalist teams will be chosen in February 2027.
Why it matters
The stated goal is to produce an AI model that can perform at the global forefront. The program is part of South Korea’s effort to close gaps and compete more strongly in the international AI race.
Source: Reuters
Note: an AI assistant contributed to preparing this article; the final content was edited and verified by our journalist.
