After artificial intelligence has become an integral part of various vital sectors, The Korean government has begun to intensify its efforts to obtain more benefits, By establishing solid infrastructure, building huge databases, establishing effective legal frameworks, providing education and training, and building community trust to make Korea a global hub for artificial intelligence.
After years of searching for what mimics the human mind, A bold imagination created the idea of artificial intelligence, which has long been a controversial topic. This controversy seems to have been settled, The past 30 years have seen artificial intelligence emerge from research laboratories and science fiction books to become a major tool that touches all areas of life.
AI-powered machines accomplish countless tasks from language analysis to making the most complex decisions. Therefore, We find applications in the most vital sectors such as health, transportation and military affairs, We recognize that it will enhance security, support the economy and improve people’s quality of life, But all this requires healthy ecosystems that are qualified to accept and benefit from the new. The term “ecosystem” here does not relate to the natural environment, Rather, it is the mechanism of thinking that governs the state, its history, nature, social fabric and approach to governance.
South Korea seems to have achieved golden proportions and developed an ideal ecosystem that has earned it the lead in the race to adopt artificial intelligence and make it a key driver in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. A target that you will work on over the next three years and recently allocated a budget of approximately $16.5 billion.
South Korea developed an AI strategy in 2019. Just months before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the entire world to accelerate its digital transformation, The new digital agreement was launched.
First thing Korea understood that data goes through a life cycle, From collecting them through accumulating and analyzing them and not ending with using them again and again. Therefore, It is necessary to collect high-quality data to train AI models, This is what the government called “data blocking”, It guarantees citizens – whatever their status – access to public data.
This dam will serve as a data resource, The government plans to set up a special center for artificial intelligence services that will provide researchers and investors with the data they need to train their own models. This data will be random and anonymous, It will include a variety of inputs from images, text and videos. Diversity will not be limited to input formats, It even includes the cases it addresses to ensure that fair algorithms can be used in the areas of employment, health care, criminal justice and others. And in a manner devoid of any bias.
Research entities are also developing the next generation of AI applications that deliver explainable outcomes and decisions, that can be trained with limited data, or that combine AI with applied learning. Korea has joined the U.S. and China race in semiconductor production. They are carriers used to deliver electric current and control its intensity.
It is worth noting that the Korean government has adopted a participatory methodology between the public and private sectors and research and academic institutions that have enjoyed great government support since the seventies. Qualified to participate in policy development and innovation development. Therefore, The Ministry of Science and Information and Communications Technology focused on collaborating with private entities during the design of the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, Citizens participated in the drawing and implementation of its strategic features, They will be part of their evaluation through public discussions and conferences organized by governmental, private and academic bodies, Such as the Information Society Development Institute, which holds seminars, conducts public opinion polls, and works to establish societal acceptance in artificial intelligence technologies and services. This is consistent with the government’s confidence-building efforts by enacting strict data protection regulations and ensuring privacy and cybersecurity.
Because the strategy is based on the conviction that the future is technology, It has paid great attention to capacity-building, Higher institutes were opened that graduate qualified specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, Intensive training programmes for youth and government officials have been launched, Most importantly, it has made sure that basic education programs for artificial intelligence skills are available to all citizens through public schools and the Internet.
To make affordable data available to all, The government created what it called “artificial intelligence vouchers”, Which is granted to SMEs and startups to be used in purchasing solutions and data from their developers.
As for the political and legal framework, In 2020, the government published the National Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence Ethics. These included 3 principles and 10 requirements that all developers should consider when developing and using AI models. Korea also approved a framework for smart informatics and amended three privacy laws on data use. It is working to amend innovative medical device testing laws so that screening, verification and evaluation take place together in a clinical setting, This will shorten the probationary period from a full year to less than 3 months.
generally These legal frameworks will increase the efficiency of many processes and make them smoother, This is an example of the ability of AI to increase productivity in both the public and private sectors. For example, in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, Korea’s global share jumped from zero to 21% in 30 years.
Moreover, Cooperation between actors will open up prospects for participation and exchange of experiences, Training and education programs will contribute to enhancing the capabilities of citizens, increasing their opportunities in the labor market and preparing them for the future.
References:
https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/korea-ai-transition
https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/11/22/how-south-korea-s-ai-ecosystem-stacks-up-pub-88425
