Kim Jae-cheol, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group, Holds Discussion on 'The Future of AI' at KAIST

Kim Jae-cheol, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group, is conducting a dialogue at KAIST in Daejeon on the 2nd.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Kim Jae-cheol, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group, held a dialogue with Lee Kwang-hyung, President of KAIST, on the morning of the 2nd at the Jeong Geun-mo Conference Hall in the Academic and Cultural Center at KAIST’s Daejeon main campus under the theme "Talking about the Future of AI."

The dialogue was organized to assess the current state of South Korea’s AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution and to discuss ways for South Korea to leap forward as a leading AI powerhouse.

At the event, KAIST professors and students who attended the dialogue listened attentively and engaged in a free Q&A session, asking Honorary Chairman Kim questions about the AI era as well as seeking advice on wisdom for life and insights on the future.

At the event, Honorary Chairman Kim said, “If the past was the Age of Discovery that explored the oceans, today is the Age of Discovery of AI exploring the sea of data,” adding, “Since AI will be applied to all fields of humanity in the near future, experts from various fields must collaborate and communicate to create convergent AI technologies.”

Honorary Chairman Kim emphasized, “For South Korea to take the lead in the global AI era, a speed race through rapid acquisition of international patents is crucial,” and added, “I hope KAIST will lead technological advancement based on swift decision-making as the integrated control tower of South Korea’s AI industry.”

He also stated, “The reason our country, which lacks natural resources, has grown until now is thanks to excellent human resources,” and urged, “As securing talent becomes even more important in the AI era, I hope KAIST pioneers the path of an advanced AI nation by nurturing AI talent.”

Honorary Chairman Kim told the professors present, “As AI technology advances, the importance of ethical awareness will be further emphasized,” and stressed, “We should aim for holistic education (全人敎育) that teaches students not only professional skills and academics but also ethical consciousness.” To the students, he advised, “The heavier the burdens in life, the more you can grow from them,” and said, “Going through various challenges and experiences, enduring hardships, is a way to develop your capabilities.”

Finally, Honorary Chairman Kim added, “So far, I have had curiosity and challenged various fields, experiencing many failures, but those experiences became a great foundation in life,” and expressed his hope that “KAIST’s professors and students unite with the belief that being the first is more valuable than being the best and boldly challenge the unknown field of AI.”

The dialogue was conducted in strict compliance with quarantine rules such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and limiting the number of attendees to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and was broadcast live through the KAIST YouTube channel.

Honorary Chairman Kim established his connection with KAIST last December by donating 50 billion KRW of personal funds to foster talent in the domestic artificial intelligence (AI) field. The donation was made based on Honorary Chairman Kim’s conviction that nurturing AI talent is the most urgent task for South Korea to take the lead in the AI field and advance as a developed country in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

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