Five Elite Teams Showcase Proprietary Models
Demonstrations Draw Over 1,000 Attendees
Poster for the 1st Presentation of the Reader AI Foundation Model Project. Image courtesy of the Ministry of Science and ICT
The initial achievements of the government-led "Reader AI Foundation Model" project have been released. On December 30, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency held the 1st Presentation of the Reader AI Foundation Model Project at the COEX Auditorium in Seoul, where five elite teams-Naver Cloud, Upstage, SK Telecom, NC AI, and LG AI Research Institute-demonstrated their development results.
The event drew more than 1,000 participants, including key corporate figures such as SK Telecom CEO Jung Jaeheon, LG AI Research Institute Co-Heads Lim Woohyung and Lee Honglak, Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yuwon, Upstage CEO Kim Sunghoon, and NC AI CEO Lee Yeonsu, as well as experts and members of the public, reflecting the high level of interest in the domestic AI industry. From the government, Vice Minister Bae Kyunghoon of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ha Jungwoo, Chief of AI Future Planning at the Presidential Office, and Lim Moonyoung, Standing Vice Chairperson of the National AI Strategy Committee, were in attendance.
In his congratulatory remarks, Vice Minister Bae Kyunghoon stated, "All the elite teams who have devoted themselves to AI model development are already winners," emphasizing, "This challenge will be a decisive driving force for Korea to leap forward as an AI powerhouse and to complete the AX (AI Transformation) across the economy and society." Chief Ha Jungwoo also remarked, "We will actively support the domestic AI industry ecosystem by securing globally competitive proprietary AI models," adding, "Through this project, we have confirmed that the competitiveness of Korean AI companies is rapidly reaching global standards."
During the presentation, the five elite teams unveiled the initial results of the AI models they had developed over approximately four months. Some models demonstrated performance comparable to the latest global AI models, capturing the attention of attendees. Each team not only shared their technical achievements but also discussed in depth their future plans, including directions for further advancement and objectives for their AI models. They highlighted the AX strategy, which aims to spread AI across all industries, as a core task beyond merely developing foundation models.
The AI experience booths set up in the event lobby were also bustling with visitors. Not only students, researchers, and company representatives but also ordinary citizens participated in the demonstrations, experiencing the models firsthand and providing feedback. Partner companies collaborating with the elite teams also showcased their connected services, demonstrating the potential for expansion within Korea's AI ecosystem.
The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to conduct the first-stage evaluation in January next year to comprehensively review the achievements and future plans of the elite teams and will release the results to the public.
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