UNIST, together with five leading industry and research partners, hosted the 2025 Korea Industrial AI Joint Forum at the Seoul POSCO Center on November 24, 2025. More than 200 participants, including chief technology officers (CTOs), digital transformation leaders, and representatives from major research institutes, joined to explore AI deployment cases in manufacturing and discuss emerging strategies for talent development.
This year’s forum, held under the theme of ‘AI + Industrial Innovation: AI Adoption in Manufacturing and Talent Transformation,’ highlighted real-world applications of industrial AI, along with policy and technology insights aimed at accelerating AI adoption across Korea’s manufacturing sector.
The event was jointly organized by UNIST, the Korea Industrial Technology Association (KOITA), the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), LS Electric, LG AI Research, and POSCO Holdings. It was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the AI Future Forum of the Citizens’ Coalition for Scientific Society (CCSS).
The opening session featured welcome remarks from KOITA Chairman Ja-Kyun Koo, followed by greetings from KITECH President Sang Mok Lee and UNIST Vice President Hyun Sil Ahn for Research Affairs.
Hyun Sil Ahn, Vice President for Research Affairs at UNIST, delivers opening remarks at the 2025 Korea Industrial AI Joint Forum.
Vice President Ahn stressed the importance of cultivating field-ready AI talent capable of solving practical industrial challenges. “AI adoption is now a core driver of industrial competitiveness. UNIST will continue to accelerate research, demonstration, and workforce development in industrial AI, especially across the manufacturing-intensive regions of Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongnam, Gyeongju, and Pohang,” he said.
Tae Wan Park, Director General for ICT Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT), also delivered congratulatory remarks, emphasizing that AI-driven production innovation is essential for sustaining Korea’s manufacturing competitiveness in global market.
The first session showcased a range of on-site industrial AI applications. Mu Sang Kim, Director of POSCO Holdings’ DX Strategy Division, presented how AI-based process optimization and predictive models are improving stability and productivity across steelmaking operations. Gyu Il Chae, Director of HD Hyundai Samho Co., Ltd. shared AI- and AX-driven examples from shipbuilding sites, while Director Hyun Young Jang at KEPCO Engineering & Construction, discussed advancements in predictive diagnostics and operational intelligence for power generation facilities using AI and digital technologies.
Ki-Soo Kim, CEO of DEEP-AI Inc., presents a UNIST collaboration case as part of his talk on AI transformation in traditional manufacturing industries.
One notable presentation came from DEEP-AI Inc., a startup supported through Ulsan Ulju Innotown, established in collaboration with UNIST. The company introduced its AI IRIS (Internal Rotary Inspection System)—an AI-powered non-destructive inspection (NDT) solution that provides real-time defect detection for equipment used in metal, machinery, and energy sectors.
As a specialist in image and video analysis, DEEP-AI showcased how field-generated visual data can dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy. The presentation drew significant attention for offering an immediately deployable AI solution in traditional manufacturing environments long reliant on conventional inspection tools.
UNIST President Chong Rae Park emphasized that effective AI utilization and talent development will determine the long-term competitiveness of Korea’s manufacturing sector. “The ability to deploy AI directly on factory floors, combined with strengthening talent capabilities, will be key to sustainable industrial competitiveness,” he said. “UNIST will continue expanding collaboration with regional industries and research institutions to advance AI-based manufacturing innovation and nurture practice-oriented AI professionals.”
