Korean gov’t opens AI lab in New York with NYU

On the 24th, Yoo Sang-im, the Minister of Science and ICT, delivered the opening address at the inauguration ceremony of the Global AI Frontier Lab held at MetroTech Center in New York, USA. (Minister of Science and ICT)

South Korea has joined forces with the United States to leap forward into third place in the global artificial intelligence (AI) sector. The Korean government plans to open an AI research institute in New York to develop foundational algorithms and expand AI applications in fields such as healthcare.

According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, the opening ceremony for the Global AI Frontier Lab, which will serve as a bridge for Korea-U.S. global research and development (R&D), was held in New York on Tuesday.

The Global AI Frontier Lab, located in the MetroTech Center, will conduct joint research in foundational algorithms, trustworthy and responsible AI, and healthcare AI, with the Korean government investing 45 billion won ($34 million) and New York University contributing 42 billion won by 2028.

NYU is a prestigious university that has produced 38 Nobel laureates and 8 Turing Award winners.

The Korean government’s plan aims to pave the way for world-class research achievements in response to the global technological hegemony era. The Ministry of Science and ICT has called for Korean researchers to form a consortium for joint research, including faculty from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University, KAIST, and POSTECH.

Joint directors will be Professor Yann LeCun from NYU, a noted AI expert, and Professor Cho Kyung-hyun, a Samsung Ho-Am Prize winner from NYU.

Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im emphasized that this is a significant moment marking a new turning point in AI cooperation and innovation between Korea and the United States.

LeCun noted that the United States and Korea have the best research institutions across AI-related theories, algorithms, applications, hardware, and robotics. He expressed optimism that true global research will take place at the AI Frontier Lab.

The Korean government, in the meantime, also plans to open an AI hub in Seocho District, southern Seoul, in October 2024 for international collaborative research on new AI technologies.

It is also opening the AI Safety Research Institute under the Korea Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute that is slated to open a month later. The institute aims to accelerate the development of technologies to address the growing issues related to deepfake crimes, fake news, and personal data breaches.

Most notably, the Presidential National AI Commission, set to launch in September 2024, will be chaired by President Yoon Suk Yeol himself to oversee AI-related policies while leveraging private sector capabilities and addressing potential AI-related side effects.

The strategy includes appointing 45 expert members to expand AI’s influence beyond industrial sectors into humanities and social sciences. Subcommittees are also expected to be formed for law and regulation development, talent cultivation, technology development, public sector AI application and expansion, and infrastructure establishment.

These measures come amid the rise of Sovereign AI, which refers to AI systems that can operate and be managed independently without interference from specific countries. As the market share of big tech companies rises globally, there is a concept that countries must actively safeguard AI sovereignty to prevent subordination to big tech.

According to the 2024 Global AI Index, compiled by the U.K.-based data analytics media firm Tortoise Media, Korea ranked sixth, following the United States, China, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and France.

The United States scored a perfect 100 points to maintain a significant gap with China’s 53, while the remaining countries ranked third to tenth saw scores between 23 and 33 points.

“There is a need to swiftly resolve regulatory uncertainties to enable significant investments in AI technology,” Ko Hwan-kyoung, a partner at Lee & Ko., said “The industry is calling for early enactment of a basic law and support for computing power to foster AI development.”