The AI market is showing a stronger trend toward bottom-up models that can create creativity and innovation, including the recent DeepSec shock and large corporations emphasizing ecosystem cooperation models. Accordingly, the government is also expanding the 'AI Super Gap Challenge' to promote startup fostering, connecting large corporations' demand, and developing AI technology.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups held the 'AI Super Gap Challenge Kickoff Day' event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on the 26th.

This event marked the full-scale launch of the AI Super Gap Challenge project, a program that supports demand-based collaboration between domestic and international global corporations such as LG Electronics, Qualcomm, and Intel and promising domestic AI startups, and promotes technology commercialization.

This year, Qualcomm joined as a new partner, and the challenge collaboration areas, programs, and scale were significantly expanded. This year, the program consists of two parts: 'On-Device AI' in collaboration with LG Electronics and Intel, and 'Vertical AI' in collaboration with Qualcomm and four promising deep tech companies that are Qualcomm's domestic partners.

First, the on-device AI program will collaborate on on-device AI services and technologies applicable to LG Electronics devices, and expand collaboration to six areas: △smart TVs △lifestyle screens △earphones, speakers, etc. △IT devices such as laptops and monitors △digital signage △smart home appliances.

Here, Intel will provide development toolkits and AI chip utilization training. It is reported that startups with excellent performance as a result of the collaboration will be able to secure sales by installing the developed AI technology on LG Electronics devices.

In addition, the Vertical AI program is a new program established by Qualcomm this year that supports collaboration with deep tech companies in four fields: autonomous robotics, AI edge boxes based on AI cameras for vehicles, inspection drones, and industrial handheld devices. △Integrated △Detek △Argosdyne △Bluebird, etc., four companies were announced as collaborating companies.

Minister of SMEs and Startups Oh Young-joo said, “The recent emergence of low-cost, high-performance DeepSeeker is causing ripples in the global AI competition landscape, and AI competition among countries is becoming more intense,” adding, “I believe this situation is a new opportunity for promising domestic AI companies.”

Minister Oh said, “This is an important time for domestic startups to develop AI solution technologies specialized for specific industries and smart devices to secure differentiated competitiveness,” and added, “I hope that the On-Device AI and Vertical AI Challenges will become stepping stones to opening up new possibilities.”

Park Hyung-se, president of LG Electronics, said, “We have made various attempts to provide customers with a better experience through AI, but it is not easy for LG Electronics to achieve this innovation alone.” He added, “We need many creative and innovative AI solutions and new service models, and we expect startups to play a role.”

On this day, Bae Soon-min, head of KT AI Future Lab, said, ‘Global AI Through the 'Technology Trend Announcement', he emphasized that the AI technology trend is moving towards 'Agentic AI' and explained, "Agentic AI is in its initial stages, and in terms of investment scale, it has shown remarkable growth over the past two years, with investment of close to 2 trillion won being made."

Director Bae said, “In order to evolve into agentic AI, physical AI, etc., there is not enough data yet, and it is very important to collect data on numerous activities in real and digital environments,” and emphasized the need for mutually complementary cooperation between companies and multifaceted ecosystem support from the government.