[Digital Today, reported by Jin-ho Lee (이진호)] South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT is launching its 'AI Livelihood Top 10 Projects' in earnest to accelerate the early spread of artificial intelligence services the public can experience.

The ministry said on Tuesday it will accept proposals through March 16 to select operators for 8 tasks under the AI Livelihood Top 10 Projects. It will select 8 consortia of AI and ICT specialist companies that can develop, apply and expand AI solutions, and support each task for up to 2 years from this year. The selection evaluation will be held in March, and full-scale task implementation will start in April.

The 8 tasks open for bidding are: an AI agent-based value-for-money agricultural product consumption information service; an AI-based startup and management consulting solution for small business owners; an AI-based national heritage interpretation solution; an AI 'Deep Blue Eye' based on aerial evidence footage; an AI safety watchdog solution for human-applied products; an AI national tax consultation system; an AI-based 'Everyone's Police Officer'; and an AI-based integrated pre-diagnosis service for permits and approvals.

The ministry will use an evaluation committee made up of outside experts to comprehensively assess business feasibility, competitiveness, and potential for application and expansion. It plans to evaluate the adequacy and feasibility of AI model utilisation plans, including Korean-language processing capabilities, security and information protection capacity.

Lee Do-gyu (이도규), the ministry's deputy minister for ICT policy, said, "We will do our best so that this project can serve as a catalyst for the development of the domestic AI ecosystem, including AI models, infrastructure and services, and contribute to building a basic AI society where all people can evenly enjoy the benefits of AI."