World
South Korea unveils $3.49B plan to develop homegrown frontier AI model
South Korea's science ministry plans to invest 4.7 trillion won ($3.49B) to build a sovereign frontier AI model, aiming to stay competitive in the global AI race.
A separate independent fund will be established for the project, though exact details have yet to be decided, an official from the science ministry said.
The initiative comes amid intensifying global competition in advanced AI, driven by massive capital investments and unprecedented upgrades in reasoning capabilities. Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon has repeatedly stressed the need for a sovereign frontier model to prevent South Korea from becoming subordinate to other nations, especially as geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China sharpens.