Public Times — Facing a demographic "cliff" and a shrinking pool of recruits, the Ministry of National Defense plans to integrate advanced private-sector artificial intelligence (AI) into military operations to sustain and improve combat effectiveness.
On the 30th, the ministry announced it will open a call for new defense projects under the AX Sprint program, which supports the rapid commercialization of AI applications, and said it will hold an informational briefing.
The program will unite companies, academic institutions and research institutes to accelerate commercialization in AI convergence fields. The ministry plans to pilot private-sector products and services that demonstrate strong technical capability in military settings, then scale successful solutions across the armed forces.
The ministry will allocate 40 billion KRW (approximately 30 million USD) in government funding through the end of 2027 across four priority areas: combat support, reducing manpower requirements, efficiency in defense operations and cybersecurity.
The announcement said 20 projects will move forward across the full spectrum of defense operations, including perimeter security, intelligence, medical services, logistics and maintenance.
Each project will run either 12 or 18 months, depending on the maturity of the private sector’s technology and the military’s internal data readiness.
The ministry said it improved the program’s effectiveness by actively incorporating requirements from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, each service branch and units directly under the ministry.
“The AX Sprint program will be a key driver in accelerating defense AI innovation,” said Jeon Jun-beom, director of the Defense AI Planning Office. “We will continue expanding AI capabilities that units in the field can use directly to hasten the development of a modern, AI-enabled force.”
Intern reporter Geon-hee Lee pique_97@naver.com
