Call for AI-Driven Urban Administration and Services...Applications Open from March 20

MOLIT Launches AI City Innovative Technology Discovery Project

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 25th that it will launch a call for this year’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) City Innovative Technology Discovery Project.

An AI City is a concept that applies AI technology across urban administration and services. Since 2022, the government has been carrying out a Smart City Innovative Technology Discovery Project, building up public-private partnership demonstration experience. The ministry explained that this new call is intended to apply rapidly spreading AI technologies in real urban settings and verify them.

The project targets companies that possess AI technologies or services in the urban domain. In cooperation with local governments, they will verify the performance and effectiveness of their technologies in real urban environments. Applications are open across urban fields closely related to citizens’ daily lives, including infrastructure, transportation and logistics, safety and daily life, energy and environment, and health and education.

This year’s project has a total budget of 3 billion won and will select six technologies. Each selected technology can receive up to 500 million won in demonstration funding. After selection and contracting, the demonstration projects will run until December this year. After the projects end, services will continue to operate for a certain period so that participants can accumulate demonstration experience. Companies wishing to participate may submit their applications from March 20 to March 30. Final selections will be made in April after document screening and presentation evaluations. A project briefing session will be held on March 4 at the Space Share Seoul Station Center.

Kim Yeonhee, Director of the Urban Economy Division at the ministry, said, “By providing demonstration opportunities to companies with innovative technologies, this project will serve as a springboard for opening up domestic and overseas markets and accelerating commercialization,” adding, “We will support the realization of K-AI Cities to enhance urban competitiveness and improve the quality of life for the public.”