A New Leadership for Transitioning to an AI Powerhouse
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has established the Chief of AI Future Planning position, aiming for entry into the 'AI Powerhouse' category, and appointed Ha Jung-woo, a developer, to this role.
During a briefing on the 15th, Ha Jung-woo was introduced as a person who is leading and proposing 'Sovereign AI,' emphasizing a virtuous growth strategy where the state supports corporations and companies share their achievements as an AI expert.
He expressed expectations that "the field experience as the head of Naver's AI Innovation Center will be implemented in national AI policies."
Ha, a 'local' AI expert with a master's and doctorate obtained in South Korea, joined Naver in 2015, during the spread of deep learning concepts, and dedicated himself to AI research, culminating in the development of the generative AI model 'HyperClovaX' in 2023.
Ha's focus on the sovereignty of AI aligns with the core agenda of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The administration has pledged to mobilize a public-private investment of ₩100 trillion, with the 'Everyone's AI' project also positioned as a key promise.
Emphasis on Bold Investment and Private Sector-led AI Ecosystem
Ha Jung-woo has often underscored the necessity of bold government investment with the phrase, "The AI industry is a war for money."
In an interview with MBC on May 20, he stated, "20 trillion won a year, combining 10 trillion from the government and 10 trillion from the private sector is not a large sum. To create innovative artificial intelligence, we have no choice but to utilize the law of scale," highlighting the importance of government investment.
He also mentioned that the government's role should be limited to being a 'supporter,' and the market should be thoroughly entrusted to the private sector.
The implication is that if the government expands infrastructure like GPUs and opens quality public data while easing regulations, companies will autonomously drive innovation.
Proposing Innovative AI Policies and Future Challenges
Ha also proposed 'AI vouchers for all citizens' at that time. He argues that the AI ecosystem should be developed by distributing free vouchers to citizens.
He explained, "Just giving people vouchers is enough. If we provide 20,000 won per month, they can just use it, which will become seed money for AI startups."
Currently, the national AI computing center project being pursued through public-private collaboration has failed to attract corporate participation, resulting in two unsuccessful bids.
AI industry stakeholders are focused on how Ha Jung-woo, who emphasizes the role of the private sector, will resolve this challenging issue.
Image sources: Ha Jung-woo, Chief of AI Future Planning / News1, President Yoon Suk-yeol / News1
