OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to encourage the country to play a larger role in creating international AI standards. Altman has been traveling the world to discuss the prospects and threats of AI and suggested that South Korea should focus on creating chips for AI technology, as both semiconductors and memory chips are needed. He also urged the country to reduce corporate regulations for AI projects and work towards setting international standards. Altman stated that innovation should not be stifled and any regulatory framework should ensure that the benefits of the technology benefit the world.
The increasing popularity of generative AI, such as the ChatGPT developed by Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI, has led to lawmakers worldwide trying to formulate laws to address safety concerns related to the technology. The European Union is set to introduce its draft AI Act, while the United States is considering adapting existing laws. South Korea has developed its foundation models for AI thanks to local tech companies Naver, Kakao and LG. These companies are seeking to tap into niche or specialised markets that have not yet been addressed by big tech in the United States or China.
In order for Korean companies to be strong in the global AI ecosystem, each company must secure specialised technology for vertical AI. LG AI Research chief Kyunghoon Bae said that companies must design and optimise AI for specific uses in order to do so. Naver stated that it has been eager to develop localised AI applications for countries with political sensitivities in the Middle East, as well as for non-English speaking countries and regions like Southeast Asia and Japan. South Korean has new AI regulations that are awaiting parliamentary approval, and analysts say these rules are less restrictive than those of the EU. The regulations will guarantee freedom to release AI products and services, and will only restrict them if they are deemed harmful to people’s rights and safety.
