Army opens AI research center

By Lee Min-hyung

Army Brigadier General Kim Yong-sam

The Army has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) research center, with a view to developing smarter software systems in use for troop management and military training, the armed forces said Monday.

“As of the beginning of 2019, the Army's AI research unit will be launched for the first time in the nation's military history,” the Army said in a statement. A group of 50 AI experts in the military will work for the center.

The decision comes in line with the ongoing technological paradigm shift represented by such terms as hyper-connection and hyper-intelligence, according to the Army.

In recent years, the AI has become the talk of the global research town, with a growing number of tech companies identifying big data-driven technology as their next key growth engine. The AI systems can carry out human-like predictions after piling up enough datasets.

The Army also plans to place its AI software into hardware systems, such as drones and its cutting-edge combat uniform called “Warrior Platform.”

“The AI technology is critical for the introduction of more state-of-the-art combat systems,” a military official said. “The Army expects the AI to serve as a game-changing platform in a near future, and the research center will focus on laying the groundwork to embrace the upcoming era of the AI.”

To create more satisfactory outcomes, the Army will team up with non-military research facilities, such as the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI).

To be specific, the Army also plans to establish AI research laboratories at KAIST and the Korea Military Academy in efforts to take full advantage of the technology, thereby maximizing training efficiency and streamlining administrative work in the military, according to the Army.

Army Brigadier General Kim Yong-sam, who will head the AI research team, said the new unit will help the military leap into the next generation of battlefields.