SEOUL — The National Assembly on Tuesday passed a framework bill on the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the science ministry said, in what is set to become the first such bill in the world to take effect early next year. The revised Framework Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and the Creation of a Foundation for Trust, passed in a parliamentary plenary session, is set to take effect beginning Jan. 22. The bill paves the legislative ground for establishing AI-related research centers, prioritizing AI products and services for public sector contracts, and supporting new businesses in the area, according to the ministry. The bill also allows for reflecting the feedback of users who may face difficulty in using the technology, such as the disabled and the elderly, in establishing AI policy and providing financial support for people who find it difficult to use AI products and services.