[Power K Woman] "Securing Talent and High-Quality Data Is as Important as Infrastructure Like GPUs"

'Female AI Leader' Jihee Kim, Professor of Computer AI at Dongguk University
Fascinated by AI that Mimics Human Intelligence
Chose the Field Out of Curiosity Since Her Master's Studies
First Korean Board Member of AAAI
Pursuing a 'People-Cente

The keywords emphasized by Professor Jihee Kim, a 'female AI leader' and faculty member of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University, are talent and data. She states, "Nurturing talent is just as important as having graphic processing units (GPUs)," and adds, "We need to create a system where individuals who have gained experience abroad can return and contribute to solving domestic issues." She also stresses that, in order to increase industrial utilization, the government and private companies must work together to secure high-quality data.

Professor Kim has dedicated over 20 years to AI research and its applications, navigating both academia and industry. She became the first Korean to be elected as a board member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) in the United States, participating in discussions on global strategies. Recently, she has been working on human-centered research aimed at addressing challenges in an aging society, such as early diagnosis of dementia and depression and elderly care through care AI. Currently, she emphasizes the importance of role models for her juniors and is devoted to nurturing talent with diversity and a global mindset. She underscores, "AI not only increases efficiency and convenience but also brings new ethical challenges and social responsibilities," and adds, "We must not fear change but instead create creative business models and a culture of innovation."

Professor Jihee Kim of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Dongguk University New Engineering Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-What motivated you to begin your research in AI?

▲I chose curiosity over a stable path. Since my master's program, I have been deeply interested in the concept of computers that can mimic human intelligence and assist people. At that time, the telecommunications field was considered a stable career, so my seniors encouraged me to pursue it. However, I chose AI, which, while uncertain, seemed more interesting and full of potential. During my Ph.D. studies at the University of Southern California (USC), I realized that there are countless challenges for both researchers and the industry to solve.

-What do you believe is the most essential factor for Korea to become a global AI powerhouse? How is Dongguk University working to nurture talent in this field?

▲Talent is just as critical as hardware infrastructure like GPUs. I believe it is not a bad thing for outstanding individuals to go abroad and learn. However, it is important that many of them return and contribute to solving Korea's problems. I am helping to nurture such talent by participating in the 'AI Convergence Innovation Talent Development Project' led by the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP). Dongguk University has introduced a modular credit system based on the concept of nano-degree (small-unit educational programs), allowing students to freely combine AI courses with other majors. This is a new attempt to provide customized education based on students' interests and needs, with the goal of strengthening their convergence capabilities.

-Please share your achievements and thoughts since becoming the first Korean elected as an AAAI board member in 2022.

▲Last March, I presented 'The Future of AI Research' at AAAI and participated in establishing the strategy. The discussion addressed not only the impact of AI on industry and society but also ethical issues. It included a global perspective that considers the relationship between AI and environmental issues, as well as the impact of AI on vulnerable groups. It was a meaningful experience that made me realize Korean researchers can contribute on the international stage.

Professor Jihee Kim of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the New Engineering Building of Dongguk University in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-Please tell us about your recent research focus.

▲My current research stems from the awareness that generative AI does not adequately reflect the context of East Asian cultures such as Korea and Japan. My goal is to develop models that can accurately represent cultural diversity in areas like food, architecture, and clothing. Subtle differences between Korea and Japan or regional characteristics are often overlooked, but accurately reflecting these aspects is necessary for global AI to become a more inclusive tool. I expect that when such research is applied in industry, the utility of AI will be greatly enhanced.

-You have emphasized 'human-centered AI.' What principles guide your research, and what direction is your care AI research taking?

▲I always put 'AI for people' at the center of my research philosophy. Care AI is a representative project that embodies this idea. We are developing a platform that can detect emergencies, dementia, or depression in the elderly at an early stage, and provide daily care while protecting privacy. The goal is to help solve the real-world issues faced by Korea's rapidly aging society. At the same time, we are expanding the project so that it can be practically used in medical settings and industry.

Professor Jihee Kim of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Dongguk University New Engineering Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

-What direction should higher education in AI take in Korea? How would you assess Korea's AI research capabilities?

▲AI education can no longer stop at simply teaching technical implementation skills. What industry demands are individuals who understand business models and can integrate AI to create real value. Therefore, academia must work closely with industry to help students understand the language and culture of the field. Korea's AI research capabilities are growing rapidly. Researchers from the AI Graduate School Council are publishing numerous papers at top international conferences, and in terms of the number of papers by country, Korea often ranks among the top five in the world.

-As AI technology spreads rapidly, concerns about ethics, responsibility, and public interest are also growing.

▲As AI technology spreads, misuse cases such as deepfakes have become major problems. To address these issues, I believe it is necessary to institutionalize and strengthen ethics education from adolescence so that social responsibility regarding AI becomes ingrained. Furthermore, ethical discussions should expand to include diversity issues that consider marginalized groups and countries. Approaching this from a global perspective rather than solely from Korean standards is essential to establishing AI norms that are accepted internationally. We must not overlook the fact that if AI lacks public interest and accountability, it could lose social trust.

-What challenges did you face growing as a female researcher, and how do you view the recent increase in female talent?

▲During my doctoral studies, women made up less than 10% of the engineering field, and a lack of belonging and passive self-expression were major challenges. In the reality of being easily ignored if you do not speak up at global conferences, I intentionally practiced organizing and actively presenting my opinions. The recent increase in female talent is encouraging. I believe what is needed to further increase female participation is role models and mentoring.

-What changes will AI bring to society, and what message do you have for young people living in the AI era?

▲AI will greatly improve convenience and efficiency in various fields, but at the same time, it will bring changes and uncertainties to jobs. Since change is inevitable, it is important to consider how we can use it to benefit our society and industry. Young people need to be proactive in acquiring technology and have the spirit to discover creative business models. Not fearing failure and creating a culture of innovation is, I believe, the way for Korea to secure competitiveness.

▶About Professor Jihee Kim of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University

Professor Jihee Kim of the Department of Computer AI at Dongguk University holds bachelor's and master's degrees in Computational Statistics from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Southern California (USC). She gained industry experience as Head of the Future Technology Research Center at KT and Head of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at Samsung Electronics. She is currently a professor at Dongguk University and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Research Center. In 2022, she became the first Korean to be elected as a board member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) in the United States. Last March, a paper from Professor Kim's lab was accepted at NAACL 2025, the most prestigious conference in the field of natural language processing. The paper highlighted the limitations of image generation models in accurately reflecting proper nouns unique to specific cultures and proposed ways to address this issue.