Unveiling the First Blueprint for the Fusion of K-Design and AI

On July 9th the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy (MOTIE) held an AI design field meeting at LG Science Park where Minister Ahn Deok-geun along with design companies and experts announced the AI Design Expansion Strategy.

The AI Design Expansion Strategy has been developed over four months through consultations and discussions with the Design Subcommittee design associations and AI companies. This initiative emerged from the shared understanding that quickly integrating AI into the design industry is crucial for enhancing overall industrial competitiveness through design innovation. Following the AI Era New Industrial Policy committees establishment on May 8th which aimed to develop six sectoral utilization strategies the design strategy is the second AI industrial application strategy after autonomous manufacturing.

The AI Design Expansion Strategy is structured around four pillars: 1) Flagship projects 2) Securing core competitiveness 3) Creating new markets and 4) Designing AI design systems and norms. The strategy aims to increase the AI adoption rate among design companies to 50% train 10000 AI designers and foster 500 AI design innovation companies ultimately raising the design utilization rate across all industries to 60% (from the current 37%).

Key Points of the Strategy:
Flagship Projects:
Seven key areas will be targeted for the AI Design Flagship Projects. Currently AI utilization in the design sector is low (5.5%) and the initial market is forming around global design solution companies. This year three major AI services will be developed by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP): trend analysis design similarity search and a lightweight language model (sLLM) for design knowledge and research. By 2025 AI design models for consumer goods optimal engineering part design manufacturing process design automation and digital design auto-generation will be developed with 20 AI design models expected to be supported over three years.

Securing Core Competitiveness:
Focused investments will be made in essential AI design capabilities (technology companies data talent). An AI design technology roadmap covering design concepts design generation prototyping design-production linkage and design knowledge and protection will be announced this year with R&D support commencing in 2025. Six regional design creation labs will be established and tailored support systems for companies transitioning to AI and nurturing AI design software companies will be set up. Additionally a design fund and financial support measures will be explored.

Creating New Markets:
To stimulate the AI design market 150 collaboration projects across manufacturing nudge engineering and packaging sectors will be selected to support market analysis product design design automation and service prototype generation using generative AI. A marketplace for matching users and suppliers will be created and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technologys engineering big data platform will provide comprehensive support for design and engineering software high-performance computing power and design and analysis data consulting.

Designing AI Systems and Norms:
To align with the AI era design systems and norms will be redesigned. A joint public-private committee will be established in the second half of the year to discuss design copyright data privacy and ethical issues with plans to proactively revise relevant laws such as the Industrial Design Act. International cooperation on AI design policies and norms will be pursued through initiatives with design promotion organizations from Japan Taiwan Singapore and Malaysia.

During the event at LG Science Parks Gen AI Studio Minister Ahn experienced the latest generative AI technologies and their applications in domestic and international solutions exchanging opinions with industry representatives.

Minister Ahn Deok-geun emphasized “I expect our design companies and designers to take the lead in adopting and utilizing AI transforming into world-class companies and talents. The government will steadfastly implement the strategy announced today to help K-design make a new leap forward using AI.”

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