Busan AI Festival opens Wednesday

The 2026 Busan AI Festival, a hands-on event where residents can see, touch and experience artificial intelligence firsthand, opens Wednesday for a three-day run at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1.

The festival is being held in conjunction with the 2026 K-ICT WEEK in BUSAN, the region's largest comprehensive information and communications technology event.

Launched for the first time this year, the festival is part of a pilot project under the Education Development Special Zone initiative, developed in partnership with the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education to narrow the AI industry and education gap between Busan and the Greater Seoul area.

The event is designed as a participatory experience where students and citizens can engage with AI in an accessible and approachable way, in line with the broader trend of AI technology spreading beyond industry and into everyday life.

At the AI and Robot Experience Zone, operated by the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, visitors can take direct control of humanoid and companion robots. The AI Technology Experience Zone showcases AI applications close to daily life, including AI smart glasses.

An AI Art and Physical Zone will offer creative activities using AI tools, while an augmented reality dodgeball court lets visitors try out next-generation sports content. The Busan Tourism Coin Tour features a coding-based challenge in which participants program autonomous driving robots to complete missions.

An AI Quiz Golden Bell competition covering AI knowledge, ethics and policy will be followed by an awards ceremony for the Busan AI Content Contest, with winning entries screened throughout the event.

Admission is free and open to all ages with no restrictions. Some programs require advance registration through the festival's website at busanaifestival.kr.