Changwon Special City to Establish Mega-Scale Manufacturing AI Innovation Ecosystem

Agreement Signed at Kyungnam University with Seoul National University and Others
to Promote Follow-up Projects

On the 19th, Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam signed an agreement at Kyungnam University with domestic and international IT companies including Seoul National University, manufacturing companies, the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL), the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), and others to promote a follow-up project for Hyper-scale Manufacturing AI.

Group photo of the Ultra-large Manufacturing AI Global Alliance.

The event was attended by over 300 people, including Changwon Special City Mayor Hong Nam-pyo, National Assembly member Choi Hyungdu, Vice Governor for Economic Affairs Kim Myungju, Google Cloud President Ji Kisung, Megazone Cloud Chairman Lee Juwan, Shinsung Delta Tech Chairman Koo Jacheon, as well as representatives from domestic and international big tech companies and local mid-sized enterprises.

Recently, the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) has been highlighted across industries, and global competition is intensifying. In response, Changwon City plans to establish a systematic master plan and promote AI transformation to maintain the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector and create new convergent industries.

◆ Establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Master Plan

By establishing an AI internalization strategy that reflects regional characteristics, Changwon will begin in earnest to create a comprehensive AI plan aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of local industries and driving regional economic development.

The Changwon City AI Comprehensive Plan will include: △ fostering the AI industry and building an ecosystem △ establishing human and physical infrastructure for AI innovation policies △ expanding the provision and utilization of AI services △ raising public awareness and forming consensus through AI education and public relations. In April, the city will launch the 'Changwon City AI Council' to actively incorporate expert advice and policy recommendations.

◆ Integrating AI into Manufacturing

First, the "Hyper-scale Manufacturing AI Service Development and Demonstration" project introduces AI to the Changwon National Industrial Complex. Hyper-scale Manufacturing AI is a globally recognized technology that learns from large-scale manufacturing data, enabling AI to independently reason and solve on-site problems, thereby creating an optimal manufacturing environment.

Changwon City is developing hyper-scale manufacturing AI services (quality and process management) and proactively introducing and spreading them to manufacturing companies within the Changwon National Industrial Complex. A total project budget of 22.7 billion KRW (15 billion national, 6.5 billion local) is being invested, in collaboration with 14 participating organizations including KAIST.

This year, Changwon plans to expand the demonstration of hyper-scale manufacturing AI application services for quality and production process management to manufacturing companies in the Changwon National Industrial Complex. The city will also train 20 specialists to apply hyper-scale AI technology in industrial sites (20 cases of in-company utilization) and establish three infrastructure projects, including a hyper-scale AI technology verification testbed and integrated network operation equipment, to further spread these achievements.

Hong Nampyo, mayor of Changwon Special City, is giving a greeting speech at the signing ceremony.

◆ Establishment of Changwon AI Autonomous Manufacturing Support Center

Starting in 2028, Changwon will establish the 'Changwon AI Autonomous Manufacturing Support Center' to apply AI to its key industries such as machinery, aerospace, defense, automotive, and drones, thereby building an AI industry ecosystem in Changwon. The project includes △ establishment of the AI Autonomous Manufacturing Support Center △ development of shared AI autonomous manufacturing models △ training of AI specialists.

Through this project, the city aims to build an AI autonomous manufacturing ecosystem, strengthen the capabilities of Changwon’s manufacturing industry, and secure the sustainability of the Changwon National Industrial Complex for the next 50 years.

◆ Building a Digital Innovation Business Ecosystem

Since 2024, Changwon City has been promoting the 'Regional Digital Innovation Hub Support Project' to create an ecosystem of digital innovation businesses comparable to Pangyo Techno Valley in non-metropolitan areas.

The Regional Digital Innovation Hub Project in Changwon, Gyeongnam, is an 'industrial convergence' model. Its specialized strategy is to create a hub for manufacturing innovation by converging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and 5G, centered on the manufacturing-strong Changwon National Industrial Complex.

Changwon Special City Mayor Hong Nam-pyo said, "Changwon must not fall behind in the massive wave of AI if we are to maintain industrial competitiveness," adding, "We will establish a systematic long-term vision to create a world-class manufacturing innovation ecosystem for the next 50 years and strive to successfully lead the AI transformation (AX) of our core manufacturing industry."