Upstage CEO: Government must boost AI support tenfold amid export controls

Upstage CEO Kim Sung-hoon urged the South Korean government to significantly boost its support for indigenous artificial intelligence (AI) technology, advocating for a tenfold increase in funding. Kim highlighted AI's status as a national strategic asset, noting that major powers like the US and China can restrict access to their AI technologies. Therefore, he stressed the critical need for South Korea to develop its own robust AI capabilities.

Kim made these remarks during a media briefing in Seoul, where he discussed the implications of US export controls on AI models. He acknowledged the timely nature of the government's 'Independent AI Foundation Model' (Dok-Pa-Mo) project and GPU support initiatives. Upstage is actively involved in the Dok-Pa-Mo project, and Kim expressed confidence in delivering impressive models in the project's subsequent phases.

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AI has become like a national strategic asset. If they put their minds to it, both the US and China can cut off their own AI, so we must maximize our own technology.

Upstage also announced that a preview version of its open-source model, 'Solar Open2,' developed through the Dok-Pa-Mo project, achieved a score of 44.4 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index (AAII). This performance underscores the company's progress in developing competitive AI technologies independently.

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The Dok-Pa-Mo and government-led GPU support projects are proceeding in a timely manner.