NCSoft, the Core of ESG Management is 'AI Ethics'

Exterior view of NCSoft Pangyo R&D Center building

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] NCSoft has established the first ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Management Committee among domestic game companies and is carrying out various activities. NCSoft considers 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics' as one of the core keywords of ESG management. The company plans not only to develop technology but also to take the lead in establishing ethics in its use.

Since 2020, NCSoft has been supporting research on developing AI ethics education curricula at Harvard University, Stanford University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through the NC Cultural Foundation. The results of this research, aimed at public interest, will be distributed free of charge worldwide in the future.

As a game company, NCSoft is also continuously making efforts to raise awareness of games and promote their cultural and artistic value. In July last year, NCSoft participated as an artist in the exhibition "Games and Art: Prelude to Fantasy" held in Daejeon, presenting a new perspective on games. They showcased the "NC Play" series, which expresses game data, stories, and content as art.

In March of this year, NCSoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Intellectual Property Office to promote multifaceted cooperation to strengthen the global competitiveness of intellectual property (IP), which is highly valued in the game industry.

NCSoft’s cumulative donations over the past five years amount to 61.3 billion KRW. From 2017 to 2020, donations accounted for 0.85% of annual sales, which is four times the industry average.

In addition to regular donations, NCSoft has also delivered messages through special methods using games. ArenaNet Studio, NCSoft’s North American development subsidiary, participated in the pediatric patient support project "Extra Life 2021" last November. Employees streamed games themselves and held events, raising donations together with viewers. The 24-hour fundraising event attracted 54,000 viewers and raised $130,000 (approximately 160 million KRW) for donation.

Various activities to support future generations have also continued. A representative example is "Projectory," opened in August 2020 by the NC Cultural Foundation as a creative activity space for children. This social contribution project was started to provide an environment where children can try various projects without fear of failure.

NCSoft also plans to take the lead in nurturing talent for industry growth. Since 2018, it has operated the "NC Fellowship" annually for university students, supporting education in AI-related fields. It also sponsors events such as hackathons, AI idea contests, and game contests held by local cultural promotion agencies.