(123rf)

The presidential artificial intelligence (AI) committee plans to devise a national strategy within the first three months of next year to make South Korea one of the world's top three leaders in the AI industry, the science ministry said Monday.

The committee held its first workshop earlier in the day to kick off its preparations to devise the national AI strategy aimed at fostering the country's competitiveness in the field, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The government established the national AI committee led by the president in September and has increased the budget for the technology next year to 1.8 trillion won (US$1.28 billion) from 1.4 trillion won in 2024.

"Amid intensifying global competition for leadership in AI, it is not an option but a necessity for the public and private sectors to collaborate to bring together pan-national capabilities," Yeom Jae-ho, vice chair of the committee, said, vowing to make South Korea a global power in the field of AI. (Yonhap)