[Column] The 'Challenging AI G2 Dream' Acknowledged by the Minister of Science and ICT

It is no exaggeration to say that all the booths of participating companies at the ‘Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC 2025)’ held last week in Barcelona, Spain, were covered with the word ‘AI (Artificial Intelligence).’ Although AI technology was introduced at last year’s MWC, it was not the core agenda dominating the entire tech industry as it is this year. The mobile and telecommunications industries appear to have collectively jumped into the AI innovation race.

The presence of Korean companies observed on-site was narrower than expected. Among the latest AI application cases implemented throughout the exhibition hall, the presence of domestic companies fell short of expectations. Samsung Electronics clearly illustrated this. The Korean representative company, which was recognized for its innovation last year with the ‘Galaxy Ring,’ showed a somewhat defensive stance this year. Although it ambitiously unveiled the Android extended reality (XR) headset ‘Project Muhan,’ the attention of visitors to the booth was elsewhere. Instead of trying out the large and heavy Muhan device, the first question asked was whether Samsung could release lightweight and convenient glasses with AI functions embedded.

On the other hand, Chinese companies showed aggressive moves. Xiaomi introduced the electric vehicle ‘SU7,’ which controls the car and remotely operates home appliances through an AI assistant. It was so popular that 1,200 people test-drove it over two days. Honor showcased its AI technological prowess by equipping smartphones with on-device deepfake detection features.

The reflections of Yoo Sang-im, Minister of Science and ICT, who visited the site for the first time in three years, were candid. Her confession, “We set a goal to become AI G2 alongside the U.S., surpassing China, but seeing it in reality, the gap is larger than expected,” was a statement facing reality. The minister’s message emphasizing ‘securing GPUs’ and ‘nurturing talent’ suggests that we need to strengthen our basic capabilities in the AI competition.

Domestic telecom companies are already feeling the crisis of the AI era and are hastening to find breakthroughs by strengthening collaboration with overseas big tech companies. KT partnered with Microsoft, LG Uplus joined hands with AWS and Google. SK Telecom is also discussing joint investments in AI data centers with big tech. This acknowledges that cooperation with big tech is a more realistic alternative than building an independent ecosystem.

MWC 2025 was a splendid feast of AI technology, but for Korea, it was an opportunity to reassess its position. On the return flight from Barcelona to Seoul, the steps of Korean businesspeople, officials, and journalists must have felt extremely heavy. It is time to focus on securing ‘basic AI resources’ such as expanding infrastructure like AI data centers and attracting AI specialists, using that heavy heart as a driving force. Only then can products that attract the attention of global visitors, like Xiaomi’s electric vehicle ‘SU7’ this year, appear at Korean tech company booths at next year’s MWC.