GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026 in Seoul – Advancing AI for Better Public Services

The World Bank, together with South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), has announced a global call for government institutions interested in strengthening public administration through artificial intelligence.

The GovTech AI Bootcamp on AI in Governance and Public Administration is designed for government teams from low- and middle-income countries that are already developing, testing, or implementing AI-based solutions. Up to five government teams will be selected for a fully funded, five-day learning and technical program in Seoul, South Korea.

The program will combine practical workshops, expert discussions, institutional visits, peer learning, and roadmap development. Participants will explore how Korea has implemented AI across government and identify ways to overcome technical, organizational, data, and infrastructure challenges in their own countries.

What Is the GovTech AI Bootcamp?

The GovTech AI Bootcamp is a practical capacity-building initiative focused on turning public-sector AI ideas into workable and scalable solutions.

Rather than focusing only on AI theory, the program emphasizes real implementation. Selected teams will examine successful Korean government systems, interact with experienced practitioners, and work with World Bank and Korean experts to improve their own projects.

The initiative is particularly relevant to governments seeking to use AI for areas such as citizen services, public finance, human resources, procurement, transparency, anti-corruption, and civic engagement.

Who Can Apply?

The opportunity is intended for government institutions in low- and middle-income countries that have a concrete AI initiative underway or at an advanced planning stage.

Potential areas include:

• Public financial management
• Civil service and human resource systems
• Digital and citizen-facing services
• Civic technology and public participation
• Government procurement
• Transparency and anti-corruption
• Data-driven public administration
• Other government applications involving artificial intelligence

Each participating institution should nominate a two-member team consisting of:

1. A policy or institutional leader with sufficient authority to influence decisions.
2. A technical professional who is directly engaged with the AI project or its implementation.

Participants should be able to actively participate in discussions and workshops conducted in English. Korean-English interpretation will also be available during the program.

What Makes the Program Valuable?

Many governments have already established digital transformation strategies, but moving from policy documents to functioning AI systems can be difficult. Challenges involving data quality, infrastructure, institutional coordination, procurement, technical capacity, and governance can slow implementation.

This bootcamp aims to address those practical barriers.

Selected participants will have the opportunity to:

• Learn from Korea’s experience with government AI.
• Exchange ideas with international and Korean practitioners.
• Examine real-world public-sector technology systems.
• Identify technical and organizational barriers in their own projects.
• Strengthen their AI implementation strategies.
• Develop a practical roadmap for moving their initiative forward.
• Receive potential post-program technical guidance and feedback.

Why Is the Bootcamp Held in South Korea?

South Korea has developed extensive digital government infrastructure and has applied advanced technologies across several areas of public administration.

During the Seoul program, participants will gain direct exposure to organizations involved in building and managing government technology systems. Discussions may cover areas including AI governance, institutional coordination, data management, procurement, infrastructure, system deployment, and scaling digital solutions.

The program may also connect participants with relevant technology companies where this can contribute to understanding practical deployment.

Program Structure

The initiative will take place in three main stages.

1. Global Call for Proposals

Government institutions submit information about their existing or planned AI initiatives, the public-sector problem they are addressing, and the support they require to move toward implementation.

Applications will be assessed by representatives of the World Bank, MOIS, and NIA.

2. Seoul Technical Bootcamp

Dates: December 7–11, 2026

The five-day program will combine exposure visits, expert exchanges, and hands-on technical work.

Participants will initially explore Korea’s public and private AI ecosystem before moving into intensive workshops. During the practical sessions, teams will work with experts to examine issues related to algorithms, data, infrastructure, implementation dependencies, and potential risks.

Each team will use these discussions to develop a technically informed implementation roadmap for its own government initiative.

3. Post-Bootcamp Assistance

After returning from Seoul, selected teams may be considered for additional technical support and feedback. Follow-up assistance will depend on the quality, feasibility, and potential impact of the proposed initiatives as well as recommendations from participating experts.

Important Dates

Funding and Participation

Up to five government teams will be selected to attend the Seoul bootcamp on a fully funded basis.

The opportunity is intended for institutional teams rather than individual applicants. Government institutions should therefore nominate representatives who have a direct connection to the proposed AI initiative and can contribute to decisions about its future implementation.

What Should the Application Demonstrate?

A strong proposal should clearly explain the government problem being addressed and show why an AI-enabled approach could provide meaningful value.

Applicants should be prepared to discuss:

• The public-sector challenge
• The proposed AI solution
• Current development or implementation status
• Availability and readiness of relevant data
• Technical capabilities and infrastructure
• Institutional backing
• Potential implementation obstacles
• Expected public impact
• Goals for participating in the bootcamp
• Plans for applying the knowledge after returning home

Supporting documents may also strengthen an application. These can include institutional endorsement letters, technical architecture or system diagrams, policy documents, budget information, and other materials relevant to the proposed initiative.

How to Apply?

Eligible government institutions should complete the official application form before the October 2, 2026 deadline.

Apply through the Official Submission Form

Information sessions will also be arranged for prospective applicants across three different time zones.

Final Takeaway

The GovTech AI Bootcamp offers government institutions an opportunity to move beyond high-level AI strategies and focus on practical implementation. By bringing together government decision-makers, technical professionals, Korean practitioners, and World Bank experts, the program aims to help participating countries develop realistic pathways for using AI to improve public administration and government services.

For eligible institutions already working on a credible AI initiative, the October 2, 2026 deadline is the key date to keep in mind.