Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has decided to establish a strategic cooperation framework with the global defense unicorn Shield AI in the fields of Physical AI and the defense industry.

A JBNU delegation led by President Yang O-bong, along with Professors Kang Eun-ho and Jang Won-jun (Department of Advanced Defense Technology and Industry) recently visited Shield AI's headquarters in San Diego, USA, to discuss technical cooperation and educational linkage measures.

Shield AI is regarded as one of the world's three leading defense AI unicorns, alongside Palantir and Anduril Industries. Through its Hivemind AI Platform, which enables autonomous flight and autonomous combat, the company possesses world-class capabilities in the AI pilot domain.

In particular, the low-cost vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft V-BAT has proven its performance and reliability through operational deployment on the battlefield in Ukraine. The platform is rapidly entering the global defense market and is currently undergoing trial operations with the Republic of Korea Navy.

Furthermore, Shield AI is supporting Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in the development of the AI pilot K-AIot, and provides specialized technology and know-how to enable domestic companies to build their own Sovereign AI platforms.

During the visit, the JBNU delegation held a meeting with more than ten key Shield AI personnel, including Connor Viar, Senior Director for Asia, and Vibhav Ganesh, Engineering Director for Hivemind. They discussed concrete cooperation plans to link Shield AI's technical support, field validation experience, and platform operation know-how to the Physical AI project led by JBNU.

They also conducted in-depth discussions on adapting Shield AI's AI education and training programs—currently being jointly pursued with leading U.S. universities such as Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Southern California—to JBNU's environment, including establishing specialized AI curricula and student internship participation plans.

Based on these discussions, the two institutions agreed to further specify the scope of cooperation and to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the near future.

President Yang O-bong said, "Cooperation with Shield AI, the world’s leading defense AI unicorn and a supporter of building K-defense Sovereign AI, will serve as an important catalyst to raise the international competitiveness of the JBNU-led Physical AI project and advanced defense and AI education to the next level. We will actively support students in JBNU's defense industry department so they can advance to global defense and AI companies through advanced AI education programs and internship linkages."