Interior ministry launches three AI contests to tackle public problems

The interior ministry said Tuesday it will open three AI-model contests Wednesday, seeking private-sector solutions for government work on public safety and administrative fairness.

One challenge will use dashboard-camera footage to assess vehicle movements and key moments before and after crashes for engineering reviews by forensic examiners. The ministry said it expects the crash-analysis model to improve the speed and consistency of accident assessments by providing forensic examiners with objective parameters for key analysis items. Another will distinguish genuine voices from AI-generated audio. That challenge follows advances in generative AI that can closely mimic real voices and could be misused in voice phishing or audio impersonation, the ministry said. A third will scan tender notices and attachments for potential violations of national or local contract laws and provide reasons for its findings.

"AI must be more than an auxiliary tool that makes administrative work easier; it must be a practical problem-solving tool that protects public safety and strengthens fairness and trust in administration," Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung said.

Participants can submit models for each task through the private AI competition platform Dacon until Sept. 29. The ministry plans to announce final results Oct. 16 and select 21 teams for a combined 126 million won ($91,265) in prizes. The top team will receive an interior minister's award.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety plans further validation and refinement of top-performing models with the National Forensic Service and Public Procurement Service before broader use in government operations.