Speaking at the Global AI Hub Vision Declaration ceremony held at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul, Koo noted that international cooperation in AI is currently fragmented among various organizations, and there is a lack of collaborative frameworks. He also pointed out that while various AI pilot projects are being attempted, there are limitations in their actual dissemination to developing countries.
Koo explained that South Korea can play a mediating role to overcome these limitations and facilitate smooth cooperation between international organizations and MDBs.
In South Korea, the World Bank's Global AI and Digital Knowledge Center is already in operation, and efforts are underway to establish AI collaboration hubs with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).
The Ministry of Economy and Finance aims to consolidate these MDB AI collaboration hubs into a global AI hub, thereby establishing a global AI cooperation network. Koo elaborated, "If the global AI hub develops public AI solutions in areas such as health, labor, disaster, and migration, MDBs can play a role in linking these solutions to development projects in developing countries, facilitating their actual implementation."
Koo emphasized that even if the global AI hub is located in South Korea, it is intended for people around the world. He stressed that a foundational global AI society should be built through cooperation among nations rather than competition.
He added, "The South Korean government will continue to work with the international community to ensure that the benefits of AI are not confined to certain countries or groups but are distributed to all people worldwide."
Koo also outlined a vision for South Korean AI companies and research institutions to participate in solving global challenges by sharing AI technologies and practical experiences. South Korea has been gaining experience in building various public infrastructures integrated with AI, such as water resource management, which is expected to be beneficial in the process of AI collaboration with international organizations and MDBs.
Koo concluded, "The connection between the global AI hub and MDBs will go beyond simple inter-agency cooperation, becoming a new model for development cooperation that spreads AI as a global public good and serves as a cooperative hub for supporting AI in developing countries."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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