SK Group, Ulsan Chamber Seek Solutions for Manufacturing AX and Regional AI Innovation

[Financial News] SK Group and the Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry will explore ways to drive regional innovation in Ulsan, focusing on artificial intelligence transformation (AX) in manufacturing and the use of AI in everyday life.
SK Group announced on the 6th that it will host the ‘2026 Ulsan Forum’ on the 11th at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center (UECO) under the theme ‘Leading AX, Smart Life Ulsan.’ The forum was launched in 2022 following a proposal by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won to work with the local community on the future of Ulsan, the birthplace of SK Innovation, marking the company’s 60th anniversary.
The forum is co-hosted by SK Group and the Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with support from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Presidential Committee for the Era of Local Autonomy, Ulsan Metropolitan City, the Ulsan Metropolitan Council, University of Ulsan, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), and Ulsan College, among others.
This year’s forum will consist of two sessions: ‘Physical AI Wave: Transforming Manufacturing through AX’ and ‘AI for Everyone: Smart Local Ulsan.’
In the first session, Lee Min-woo, head of the Industrial Growth Office at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, will deliver a keynote speech on ‘The Government’s Direction for Promoting Manufacturing AX to Foster Regional Hubs.’ The session will also feature demonstration cases from Ulsan’s major industries, shared through the M.AX Alliance, which was launched last September with the participation of manufacturing and AI companies, universities, and research institutes.
The second session will present a vision for the future of local communities, focusing on solving regional problems and building an AI ecosystem by applying AI in everyday life. Son Hae-in, CEO of Upstage, and Lim Min-hyeok, a professor in the Department of AI Medical Science at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), will deliver keynote speeches under the theme ‘The AI Era: Intelligence Embedded in Everyday Life, Technology Embracing Society.’
An SK Group official said, "The Ulsan Forum has developed into a platform that brings together discussions on the industrial and social challenges facing the region and connects them to actionable solutions." The official added, "By addressing both the AX transformation of manufacturing and the spread of AI in citizens’ daily lives, the forum will serve as an opportunity to further develop Ulsan’s future growth strategy in concrete terms."
Meanwhile, the Ulsan World Future Industry Expo (WAVE 2026), held in conjunction with the Ulsan Forum, will take place for three days from the 10th to the 12th at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center (UECO). SK Group plans to showcase how its AI capabilities, accumulated through its semiconductor and data center businesses, are being implemented on manufacturing sites.

[email protected] Kim Mi-hee Reporter