Yoon Meets AI Scholar Andrew Ng: "Korea Has Potential to Become a Top 3 Global AI Power"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands with 'AI scholar' Professor Andrew Ng of Stanford University at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 30th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 30th, President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Professor Andrew Ng of Stanford University, one of the world's top four artificial intelligence (AI) scholars, to discuss prospects for economic and social development through AI and the fostering of startups.

Park Sang-wook, the Presidential Office's Chief of Science and Technology, held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that afternoon and stated, "Today's meeting with Professor Ng was conducted under President Yoon's extraordinary recognition that the next one to two years represent a golden time that will determine Korea's success or failure in AI."

Professor Ng is regarded as one of the 'Big Four AI Scholars' alongside Professor Yann LeCun of New York University, Professor Yoshua Bengio of the University of Montreal, and Professor Geoffrey Hinton of the University of Toronto.

Chief Park explained that President Yoon and Professor Ng reached a consensus on the importance of securing outstanding AI talent and building an ecosystem where startups lead technological innovation.

President Yoon emphasized, "Korea possesses world-class hardware competitiveness in semiconductors and smartphones, sufficient software capabilities to have developed the world's third-largest ultra-large AI model, and is preparing for a leap forward through AI transformation in various industrial sectors such as mobility and healthcare."

Professor Ng said, "Korea has strong government will, excellent technological innovation capabilities, and not only the essential industrial base for AI such as semiconductors but also an AI software ecosystem, giving it abundant potential to become an AI powerhouse."

In particular, he also mentioned, "Korea likely has great potential to become the world's third-largest AI power following the United States and China."

Professor Ng expressed his hope to nurture AI talent through AI education and training and to closely cooperate with domestic companies so that Korea's AI startup ecosystem can further develop.

He also hinted at plans to establish AI Fund Korea to foster Korean AI startups.

President Yoon proposed that Professor Ng join the newly established National Artificial Intelligence Committee's Global Advisory Group to lend his support.

Professor Ng immediately expressed his willingness to participate, adding, "I will contribute to Korea's AI development and Korea-US international cooperation."

A senior official from the Presidential Office said regarding the National Artificial Intelligence Committee's Global Advisory Group, "It is still too early to disclose the list, but it includes truly astonishing world-renowned AI scholars and business leaders."

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