S. Korea's AI safety institute officially launches

South Korea's artificial intelligence safety institute officially opened Wednesday to address various risks associated with the rapidly evolving technology, the science ministry said.

The new AI Safety Institute follows the AI Seoul Summit held in May, where leaders from South Korea, Britain, and eight other nations adopted a joint declaration on promoting safe, innovative, and inclusive AI, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Located in Pangyo, just south of Seoul, the institute will lead the country's research on risks involving AI, such as misuse and loss of control, while serving as a hub for industry, academia, and research institutes studying AI safety.

It will also participate in the international network of AI safety institutes to foster global discussions on the agenda, the ministry said.

Kim Myung-joo, an information security professor at Seoul Women's University, has been appointed as the inaugural chief of the institute.

"The institute will support local AI companies to minimize risk factors that could hinder their global competitiveness, rather than functioning as a regulatory body," Kim said during the institute's opening ceremony.

At the ceremony, a consortium of AI-related firms, universities, and institutes signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on research, policymaking, and AI safety evaluation.

A total of 24 entities, including leading tech firms like Naver Corp., KT Corp., and Kakao Corp., as well as top universities like Seoul National University, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and Korea University, are initial members of the consortium, the ministry added. (Yonhap)