KT, NIA to Train AI Talent in Developing Countries

[Financial News] KT has joined forces with the National Information Society Agency (NIA) to expand overseas its artificial intelligence (AI) education and certification programs developed and operated in South Korea. Starting with Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Georgia this year, the company plans to support AI talent development in developing countries and expand the target groups and regions through overseas volunteer programs beginning next year.
KT announced on the 22nd that it had signed an MOU with NIA to promote AI-based inclusive digital transformation and strengthen global capabilities.
The two organizations will jointly pursue cooperation on AI and digital talent development and certification systems; international cooperation linked to Information Access Centers (IACs) and the World Friends Korea (WFK) volunteer corps; and exchanges among AI and digital experts, along with the expansion of related education programs.
Since 2024, NIA has introduced and operated KT's AI competency examination, AICE, including its training and testing programs, to strengthen the AI capabilities of its employees. The key objective of the agreement is to extend the two organizations' experience in AI education and certification, accumulated in South Korea, to overseas sites.
The first participating countries will be Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Georgia. The two organizations will pilot AICE Basic training and examinations at IACs in the three countries during the second half of this year. Starting with Vietnam in November, they will provide video-on-demand (VOD)-based online training for 100 people each in Sri Lanka and Georgia in December. Of these participants, 20 in each country will receive three days of in-person training on site and take the AICE Basic examination.
AICE Basic is an introductory certification examination for non-majors that assesses data analysis skills and understanding of basic AI principles and applications. It can be taken without coding. The training consists of VOD-based preparatory learning and hands-on practice using KT's AIDU education and training platform. KT digital talent scholarship recipients will also participate as local instructors.
IACs, which serve as education hubs, are facilities established at local public institutions, government ministries and national universities so that people in developing countries can directly experience and learn about new digital technologies. Since the first center was established in Cambodia in 2002, a total of 64 centers have been built in 48 countries.
Starting next year, the organizations will also pursue overseas AI education volunteer activities linking the WFK IT Volunteer Corps with AICE. Since its launch in 2001, the WFK IT Volunteer Corps has dispatched a total of 9,594 volunteers to 78 countries. About 300 volunteers currently work in approximately 20 countries each year. The two organizations plan to finalize the participating countries, scale of the education programs and operating methods.
Lee Jung-woo, KT executive in charge of ESG initiatives, said, "We will support young people in developing countries so they can build their AI capabilities, and we will continue to expand the scope of our cooperation."
[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter