President Lee Meets with Chairman Masayoshi Son on December 5
Lee: "We Aim to Build a Basic AI Society"... Seeks Advice
Son: "Now It's ASI, ASI, ASI"
President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group, before their meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News
On December 5, President Lee Jae-myung told Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group and a prominent Japanese investor, "As we strive to become one of the world's top three artificial intelligence (AI) powerhouses, I ask for your valuable suggestions and advice." Chairman Son introduced the concept of 'Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI),' which is said to be 10,000 times more powerful than the human brain, as a new topic of discussion.
President Lee made these remarks during a meeting with Chairman Son at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day. President Lee stated, "I believe that AI capabilities will become as fundamental as water and sewage systems, serving as basic infrastructure for all citizens," and added, "We aim to create a society in Korea where every citizen, every company, and every group can at least make basic use of AI."
President Lee also commented, "There has been recent controversy over an AI bubble, but it seems Chairman Son holds a different view," and explained, "Korea is aware of both the risks and the usefulness of AI. We are investing to minimize the risks and to maximize the expected benefits."
He continued, "Our citizens may not know that Chairman Son provided significant help and advice during the Korea-US trade negotiations, and I am grateful for that," adding, "I believe cooperation between Korea and Japan in the field of artificial intelligence is important, and I hope Chairman Son will serve as a bridge between our countries."
President Lee Jae-myung is meeting with Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group, at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Chairman Son said, "What I want to emphasize today is ASI, ASI, ASI," explaining, "ASI, which stands for Artificial Super Intelligence, is the next imminent technology." ASI refers to AI systems with intellectual capabilities that surpass human intelligence. According to Chairman Son, ASI will have abilities 10,000 times greater than the human brain.
Chairman Son noted, "There is ongoing debate among people about when Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will be achieved," and analyzed, "AGI will emerge, and it is certain that it will be smarter than the human brain." He further advised, "The question we should be asking is not about AGI, but about when ASI will arrive, and how much more capable ASI will be compared to the human brain."
Chairman Son also stated, "AI will become 10,000 times smarter than humans," and emphasized, "That is why we need to move beyond the idea of controlling, teaching, and managing AI. It is time to consider how we can live in harmony with AI by adopting a new way of thinking."
This event was organized as President Lee aims for Korea to become one of the top three AI powerhouses, to discuss global market trends with Chairman Son, and to explore ways to build a strategic partnership. After the meeting, Chairman Son is expected to sign an agreement to cooperate in areas such as nurturing AI talent.
President Lee Jae-myung is meeting with Masayoshi Son, Chairman of SoftBank Group, at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Over the years, Chairman Son has met with successive Korean presidents to offer advice on economic growth strategies suited to the times. In 1998, during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) foreign exchange crisis, Chairman Son visited Korea at the invitation of the late President Kim Dae-jung, who was then president-elect. Chairman Son proposed the idea of an IT-driven economy through high-speed internet as a solution to help Korea recover its economy. President Kim accepted this advice and focused on the nationwide commercialization of high-speed internet.
Chairman Son also advised former President Roh Moo-hyun on the need to foster the online gaming industry, and suggested the Internet of Things and the Fourth Industrial Revolution as key agendas to former Presidents Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in, respectively.
Meanwhile, at the meeting on December 5, Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, also attended alongside Chairman Son, drawing attention. Arm, a British company founded in 1990, is approximately 90% owned by SoftBank. Arm is known for its expertise in low-power semiconductor design technology, which is why most smartphones use Arm's designs. Recently, Arm has begun to adapt to the AI era by developing high-efficiency chips for data centers, among other initiatives.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
