[The Editors' Verdict] Can South Korea Become a Leading AI Nation by Training Just 1,000 AI Talents?

Following the government's announcement of the 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) National Strategy' on December 17 last year, the Ministry of Science and ICT unveiled the 'AI Leading Nation' plan during its first work report on the 16th of last month. The essence of this plan is to cultivate around 1,000 AI talents to become a leading AI nation. However, competing countries have already set and are implementing plans to nurture tens of thousands to one million AI talents. Is it really possible to become a leading AI nation by cultivating just about 1,000 individuals?

China and Japan are fostering AI talents and providing AI education under government leadership, while the United States is doing so through the private sector. In China, AI education is systematically implemented from kindergarten through elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as universities and vocational training. The Chinese Ministry of Education announced the 'New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan' in August 2017 and issued a code of conduct for AI innovation in universities in 2018. At the AI Education Conference hosted by UNESCO in May 2019, a series of Chinese AI textbooks, including six for kindergarten and twelve for elementary school, were exhibited. South Korea still does not even have AI textbooks.

The Japanese government announced last year that it would cultivate 250,000 AI specialists annually. Japan aims to nurture one million AI talents from 2019 to 2022. This contrasts sharply with South Korea’s plan to cultivate around 1,000 AI and software specialists. It is questionable whether the South Korean government thoroughly reviewed foreign cases when formulating its plan. In addition to cultivating specialists, the Japanese government has decided to provide basic AI education to all 600,000 university freshmen starting last year to popularize AI.

In the United States, AI education at universities is the most systematic. While South Korea is only now establishing AI departments, the U.S. has long been setting up AI departments at universities. Recently, institutions like MIT have begun large-scale investments in AI colleges. MIT established an AI college in September last year and announced an investment of 1 billion dollars (approximately 1 trillion won). The scale of investment is incomparable to that of domestic universities.

The South Korean government has set its AI talent cultivation targets too low. In particular, it views 'AI specialists' too narrowly. The government seems to consider only AI developers and AI engineers?those majoring in AI engineering?as AI specialists. However, it is also essential to cultivate many AI convergence business experts who can combine AI with business (management). Cultivating only AI engineering majors will not allow South Korea’s AI industry to develop.

The government’s support for selected AI graduate schools is also limited exclusively to engineering master’s and doctoral programs. Training only engineers will never make the country a strong AI power. Education should not focus solely on technology and engineering but also on convergence education that integrates business and commercializes technology. While competing countries are rapidly advancing, South Korea is walking slowly. Including AI business convergence experts as well as AI technologists, at least 20,000 people per year should be trained for five years, totaling 100,000. This is the 'AI Talent 100,000 Training Theory.' Furthermore, efforts should be made to popularize AI by educating one million AI users in addition to the 100,000 AI specialists. Only by simultaneously advancing AI education specialization and AI popularization can South Korea become a truly leading AI nation.

The government announced its intention to create an 'AI Leading Nation,' but compared to the United States, China, and Japan, it seems far from being a top AI country. Following the government’s announced strategy, it will be difficult even to become a 'Top 10 AI Nation.' I hope the government will review its AI national strategy, supplement the shortcomings, and present a revised strategy that matches the goals.

Moon Hyung-nam, Professor, Graduate School of Business, Sookmyung Women’s University (AI Convergence Business Major)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.