Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Dukgeun on May 20 gives a speech to the AI Semiconductor Collaboration Forum at the hotel Westin Josun Seoul in the capital's Jung-gu District. (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy)

By Kang Gahui

A newly launched project seeks the development of on-device artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors in four key sectors: cars, the internet of things, machinery and robots, and the defense industry.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said this on May 20 in announcing its project to develop such technology at the AI Semiconductor Collaboration Forum held at the hotel Westin Josun Seoul in the city's Jung-gu District.

The low-latency, low-power semiconductors are embedded in products and can perform AI inference calculations on their own without connection to the cloud or a server.

This project for full-stack development and verification includes such chips, software, modules and AI models in four key sectors.

Participants in the project include demand companies like Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics, Doosan Robotics, Daedong and Korea Aerospace Industries. They will form a "dream team" with domestic players in semiconductor design (fabless) and software to develop, test, install and mass-produce AI chips and software customized for demand.

The ministry said this massive project worth KRW 1 trillion is in the final planning stage. After completing required procedures such as application for exemption from a preliminary feasibility study, it can secure public funding as early as next year.

kgh89@korea.kr