Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency Selected for Ministry of Science and ICT's "On-Device AI Service Demonstration and Expansion Project"

Large-Scale Demonstration of On-Device AI Services in the Public Sector

Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Hyungjoon) and the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency (President Kim Taeyeol) have been finally selected for the "On-Device AI Service Demonstration and Expansion" public project, organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

This public project is a national initiative designed to lead the application of on-device AI technology, utilizing domestically produced AI semiconductors (NPU), in the public sector. Its purpose is to demonstrate and expand the effectiveness of these technologies, thereby revitalizing the domestic AI ecosystem.

The demonstration project to be conducted by the Busan consortium is titled "Demonstration of On-Device AI Services Specialized for Marine and Mountainous City Busan," and will run for a total of 1 year and 7 months from June 2025 to December 2026. The total project budget amounts to 7.6 billion won, including 5.7 billion won in national funds and 1.9 billion won in municipal funds.

Through this project, Busan plans to apply on-device AI technologies?such as AI-based water drones and edge cameras equipped with domestically produced AI semiconductors (NPU)?to marine and forest areas. By demonstrating AI service models capable of autonomous decision-making and real-time response even in unstable network environments, the project is expected to significantly enhance disaster and environmental response capabilities as well as urban safety.

As the main operator and managing institution, the Promotion Agency will pursue ▲ the establishment of a master plan for the AI ecosystem ▲ support for official certification of AI solutions ▲ hosting of exhibitions and conferences to disseminate results ▲ and global partnership collaborations. These efforts are part of Busan's "Comprehensive AI Strategy," aiming to strengthen its implementation and transform Busan into a regional hub for AI Transformation (AX).

Kim Taeyeol, President of the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency, emphasized, "This selection is a tangible outcome of the comprehensive AI strategy and the introduction of on-device technology." He added, "We expect it to have a far-reaching impact, not only by solving complex geographical challenges but also by securing practical use cases for domestic AI semiconductors, thereby encompassing the entire industrial ecosystem."