"AI Supremacy Is Ultimately About Talent"... Industry, Academia, and Research Mobilize for Full-Cycle Talent Development

National Academy of Engineering of Korea, National AI Strategy Committee, and National Assembly Futures Institute Hold Forum
Call for Shift to Field-Oriented Education

It has been diagnosed that the core of global artificial intelligence (AI) hegemony competition is shifting from technology to “talent.” Representatives from industry, academia, research, and government gathered in one place and reached a consensus on the urgent need to foster talent throughout the full cycle—from fundamental technology to industrial application—and to transform the education system to be more field-oriented.

The National Academy of Engineering of Korea announced that, together with the National AI Strategy Committee and the National Assembly Futures Institute, it held a “Policy Forum for Nurturing AI Talent” at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building on April 22.

Participants are taking a commemorative photo after the forum. Provided by the National Academy of Engineering of Korea.

This forum was organized under the theme “Current Status and Future Direction of AI Talent Development Policies.” Experts from academia, industry, and research participated to review national-level talent strategies and discuss policy alternatives.

“A Balance of Specialized, Convergent, and Practical Talent Needed... Must Be Linked to Industrial Demand”

In his keynote presentation, Professor Choi Jaesik of KAIST categorized AI-era talent into specialized, convergent, and practical talent, emphasizing the need for a balanced development system that spans from core technology development to industrial application.

Professor Yeo Youngjun of Gachon University then analyzed China’s case, examining government-led investment and talent strategies based on industry-academia-research collaboration. He suggested that Korea, too, should transition to a system that connects the talent lifecycle with the industrial value chain.

During the panel discussion chaired by Chairman Park Taeung, experts from academia and industry discussed ways to secure AI talent and the related policy challenges. Participants agreed that, beyond simply expanding education, there must be a shift to “practical education” that is linked to industrial demand.

In particular, it was highlighted that moving away from technology-centered policies and restructuring strategies around talent is essential to gain a competitive advantage in the global arena.

Yoon Euijoon, President of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, stressed, “Ultimately, the competition for AI supremacy is a competition for talent. Systematically fostering top-level engineering talent capable of spanning from fundamental technology development to industrial application is key to national competitiveness.”

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