SimSimi to build an active AI companion with the Ministry of Science and ICT... "Cumulative conversations top 17 billion"

SimSimi has been selected as the lead organization for the Ministry of Science and ICT and IITP’s agentic AI R&D program.

Backed by a 18 billion won budget, the project will develop an AI companion that detects emotional isolation early and intervenes at the right time.

KAIST, Korea University, FakeEyes, and Indj will join the effort to build a public emotional safety net.

The project highlights how Korea’s conversational AI know-how is expanding into public-interest, mental health, and emotional support use cases.