LG AI Research and UNESCO held a global launch event for the "AI Ethics MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) project" on Sunday at the Korean National Commission for UNESCO in Myeongdong, Seoul, and unveiled a free course.

LG AI Research and UNESCO produced their first result, the "AI Ethics MOOC project," 2 years after signing an agreement in May 2024 on the occasion of the AI Seoul Summit.

The project focuses on strengthening AI ethics capabilities in the public and private sectors by identifying best practices for developing and using AI technology properly and developing and offering education programmes for AI experts, researchers and policymakers worldwide.

Based on the "Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence," a global AI standard unanimously adopted by UNESCO's 193 member states in 2021, it offers practical skills training that developers, researchers and policymakers can use on the ground.

LG AI Research and UNESCO are working with Coursera, an online open course platform founded by AI scholar Andrew Ng, to offer an AI ethics education programme accessible from anywhere in the world.

The programme consists of 10 modules. Participating are scholars from leading institutions in global AI ethics research, including Carnegie Mellon University, the McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society at Stanford University, the Oxford Internet Institute, the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology, and the Alan Turing Institute, along with on-the-ground experts from each continent including the Francophone Artificial Intelligence Organisation (Africa, AFRIA) and the Asia Internet Coalition (Singapore, AIC).

Yoo-chul Kim (김유철), head of the strategy division at LG AI Research, stressed: "If regulation prevents risks, education builds trust. I believe supporting global developers and policymakers so they can cooperate under a single ethical standard is an investment that strengthens trust across the AI ecosystem and lays the foundation for shared growth in which customers can use AI with confidence."

LG AI Research and UNESCO plan to expand the "AI Ethics MOOC project" into a training programme that cultivates AI ethics capabilities through case-based learning and hands-on assignments.

LG AI Research and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO plan to expand it next year into an AI ethics training course at 5 to 10 hub universities nationwide, based on the results of this year's pilot project.

Hyeon-ik Hong (홍현익), secretary-general of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, stressed: "UNESCO's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence is a principle agreed by the international community, but its value can only be realised when it is used as a practical standard in technology development and research and in industrial and policy settings." He added: "I hope this global MOOC launch becomes an important opportunity to enhance the capabilities practitioners need to make responsible decisions on the ground and to turn international norms into practice in Korean society."

Woo-hyung Lim (임우형), co-lead researcher at LG AI Research, said: "AI ethics is the principles and practices that make technology operate transparently and responsibly so it does not discriminate against people or put them at risk. Beyond a global consensus on AI ethics, this is a moment when a practical transition is urgently needed to apply it across the entire life cycle, all the way to product development and service operations." He added: "I hope the global MOOC course we are releasing will become a practical foundation for working developers and researchers to build a trustworthy AI ecosystem and an opportunity to accelerate responsible innovation across industry."