Korean university students now have an opportunity to learn directly from world-class urban artificial intelligence (AI) researchers and take part in projects addressing real urban problems in Seoul.
The Seoul AI Foundation said on the 26th that it will fully launch a global AI talent development program in Seoul this year, together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Senseable City Lab, linking seminars, capstone projects, and a summer school for Korean university students.
MIT's Senseable City Lab is a world-renowned research institution that studies the changes and future of cities using sensors and data. Earlier this year, it opened the "Seoul Global AI Research Institute" — the fourth in the world and the first in Asia — and is pursuing joint research in urban AI with the Seoul AI Foundation.
The two organizations plan to expand their existing research cooperation into education to cultivate global AI research talent, and to strengthen collaborative education between domestic and international universities to establish a global AI education hub. The education program consists of three courses: the "Urban AI Seminar," which shares MIT's research achievements and the latest urban AI trends; the "Capstone Project," which addresses actual urban problems in Seoul; and the "Summer School," which provides short-term intensive education.
The foundation previously held the first-half Urban AI Seminar for 50 Korean university students at the Seoul Global AI Research Institute, and it plans to continue sharing MIT's latest research achievements and domestic and international urban AI issues in the second half of the year.
From the 13th to the 16th, the "Summer School," a short-term intensive education program with 25 students from major Korean universities including Seoul National University, KAIST, and Yonsei University, was held. Under the theme "Open Walks Seoul," participating students collected and analyzed data directly in central Seoul, experiencing field-focused urban AI education.
In the second half of the year, a hands-on "Capstone Project" involving 10 domestic and international students will be launched in earnest. Participating students will use Seoul city data to identify actual urban problems and propose solutions, while the Seoul AI Foundation will connect students with MIT researchers and support the entire process, from setting research topics to data analysis and policy proposals.
This program also gives concrete form, in an educational setting, to the "talent development" and "globalization" strategies among the "Seven Core Strategies for Fostering the AI Industry" announced by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon. The foundation plans to continue expanding cooperation, including holding the "Seoul Urban AI Forum" with MIT at Smart Life Week (SLW) in October to share urban AI research achievements with domestic and international research institutions.
Kim Man-ki, chairman of the Seoul AI Foundation, said, "This education program is a valuable opportunity for Seoul's future talent to communicate directly with world-class researchers and develop global capabilities." He added, "Based on close cooperation with MIT's Senseable City Lab, we will build a systematic educational foundation so that Seoul's university students can grow into talent that will lead the urban AI field."
