South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said it has signed an agreement with Google DeepMind to build a cooperation framework for the government’s “K-Moonshot” initiative and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
The ministry said it signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with Google DeepMind on Sunday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The partnership centers on joint AI research, talent development and expanding the adoption of responsible AI.
Google DeepMind is the company behind the Go-playing AI AlphaGo. It is also a global AI research organization that developed AlphaFold, demonstrating AI’s potential in science and technology. The ministry noted that CEO Demis Hassabis won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2024 for solving the long-standing challenge of predicting protein structures.
The ministry said the agreement was signed at a symbolic moment marking the 10th anniversary of the AlphaGo matches, aiming to turn a decade of AI achievements into momentum for science and technology innovation.
Under the MOU, the two sides plan to seek practical cooperation across technology, infrastructure and researcher exchanges. They said they will work together in areas including life sciences, weather and climate, and “AI scientists.”
They also plan to expand joint research and researcher exchanges around the National Science AI Research Center, which is scheduled to begin operations in May. Cooperation is expected to include developing and validating AI models and tools, using scientific data, and exploring collaboration centered on an AI bio-innovation research hub.
The ministry said it will look for internship opportunities so top AI talent can experience Google DeepMind’s research environment. Google, it said, will establish an AI campus in South Korea and expand cooperation with academia, researchers and startups. The AI campus is expected to serve as a base for AI-driven science and technology cooperation with Google DeepMind linked to “K-Moonshot.”
The two sides also agreed to cooperate on AI safety and governance. They plan joint research on safety frameworks and safeguards for AI models to support responsible development of AI technology. They also said they will hold discussions, in connection with an AI Safety Institute, on building safety frameworks and testing methodologies.
Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT, said the MOU will be “a key opportunity” for the two sides to work together to accelerate AI innovation in science and technology centered on “K-Moonshot,” while spreading safe and responsible AI research and best practices.
Hassabis said Google DeepMind will contribute as a partner in building safeguards to help AI advance responsibly.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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