The city had ‘the AI proclamation ceremony’ at KDJ Center
Mayor Lee announced Gwangju type of four major strategies

The city of Gwangju has held 'the AI proclamation ceremony’ last 29th at KDJ Center. ©AI타임스
The city of Gwangju has held 'the AI proclamation ceremony’ on January 29th at KDJ Center. ©AI타임스

(AI타임스=박혜섭 기자) The city of Gwangju held an ‘Artificial Intelligence Declaration Ceremony’ on January 29th at Kimdaejung Center, now it’s officially stepped up to the Gwangju AI Era.

On this ceremony, about 700 people were present including city mayor Lee Yong-seop, Choi Ki-young Minister of Science and ICT, and politicians.

Gwangju city announced four major strategies and officially declared ‘Gwangju, a city in the heart of Artificial Intelligence’ to both at home and abroad.

The mayor Lee of Gwangju made the announcement, “The goal of AI cluster is to create AI Hub in Gwangju” Then he proclaimed the three main value of AI era as ▲people-centered ▲sharing and openness ▲Gwangju type of AI Business Model. Lee continued to announce the four major strategies as ▲create AI cluster ▲create the Gwangju type AI business ecosystem ▲cultivate qualified AI professionals ▲construct AI city with citizen participation.

City Mayor Lee Yong-seop presents four major strategies to create the city as 'the heart of AI' ©AI타임스
City Mayor Lee Yong-seop presents four major strategies to create the city as 'the Heart of AI' ©AI타임스

For create world-wide AI cluster, Gwangju will establish AI integrated complex and data center. Also the city will construct the AI+ empirical test bed, develop AI empirical pilot city, and establish a data industry convergence center. For the next five years, the city will invest $400 billion and will construct an integrated complex on 46,200㎡ of land in the high-tech district 3. The city is planning to establish world-class GPU-based data centers, and AI research institutes.

To create the Gwangju type AI business ecosystem, the city will promote and support AI start-up companies, attract AI enterprises, create AI fundraising for support start-up companies, develop convergence business model for data production and utilization, create fusion-industrialized AI model, and expand to the global market.

For cultivate qualified AI professionals, the city will cooperate with Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology(GIST) which will open next month, establish and operate AI Military Academy, educate AI convergence professionals, and operate AI Experience and Learning Camp. Gwangju has a great aspiration that the next generations will be educated AI from the kindergarten to colleges.

Finally for construct AI city with citizen participation, Gwangju will activate citizen participation, such as solving living problems using AI technology, lauch AI cluster forum, and innovate executive services based on AI.

Over the next 10 years, the city expects the effects of ‘AI Era’ as 1,000 AI startups, 7,000 job creations and cultivate 5,150 AI experts.

On this day, the city signed memorandum of understanding(MOU) with Korea Electric Power Corporation and 12 other organizations. The city and organizations agreed to cooperate by sharing data information held by each agencies.

The city and other 13 organizations have agreed MOU. ©AI타임스
The city and other 13 organizations have agreed MOU. ©AI타임스

The Minister of Science and ICT Choi said, “My department and Gwangju will pool our wisdom, actively communicate with each other, and step forward to the common goal as ‘Korea, the No. 1 AI nation’”

Gwangju city mayor Lee said, “The year of 2020 will be the first year to open a gate and enter to AI era” then he added, “Based on the special DNA of Gwangju citizens (strong challenging spirit, cope suffer, creativity and imagination), we will successfully create and complete a world-class AI industry complex”