Korea Ministry, SNU Advance AI-Driven Manufacturing Education

• SNU-MOTIE to build national Manufacturing AI model
• $35M project trains students on real factory data
• New master’s/PhD courses; 1,000 specialists by 2030

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ landmark educational-research initiative aimed at creating a national-level artificial intelligence (AI) model for the manufacturing sector-came from collaboration between Seoul National University (SNU) and South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE). This project marks the beginning of a new chapter in industry-focused higher education.

Under the "National Manufacturing AI Model" project, SNU is academically leading the way in developing an AI system that is specifically targeted at the needs of the industry and educational goals. The three-year program, which will start in early 2026, will see the participation of hundreds of graduate students and faculty members from SNU, along with postdoctoral researchers, and industry engineers. They will thus work together on real datasets sourced from more than 5,000 South Korean manufacturers. The initiative is supported by a first 50 billion won ($35 million) investment, making it one of the largest university-led AI-for-industry projects in Asia.

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The two parties' cooperation also serves as a top-tier training center: students will rapidly learn the art of machine learning, industrial IoT, predictive maintenance, and smart-factory applications through direct involvement in the creation of a national AI platform that can be deployed right away. The program will also offer new master’s and doctoral courses in “Manufacturing AI Systems,” as well as industry internship opportunities, co-authoring publication, and startup incubation possibilities. MOTIE has promised to assign graduates of excellence to priority sectors in Korea’s manufacturing ecosystem.

According to SNU President Sung Chul Bae, the initiative "exemplifies a transformative model for university-industry partnership that prepares the next generation of AI engineers to solve Korea’s real industrial challenges.” MOTIE Minister Ahn Duk-geun supported such claims saying that the move would "equip students with cutting-edge skills while delivering a 20% productivity leap for Korean factories.”

The program's goal is to prepare more than 1,000 specialized AI professionals every year by 2030, thus turning SNU into Asia’s leading center for manufacturing-focused artificial intelligence education and ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌research.