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Korea's ICT exports up 140% in July on sustained AI chip demand

Korea's exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products jumped 140.6 percent in July from a year earlier, driven by sustained global investments into artificial intelligence (AI), government data showed Friday. Outbound shipments of ICT products reached $53.4 billion last month, up from $22.2 billion a year earlier, the Ministry of Science and ICT said in a press release. The…

koreatimes.co.kr ·

Korea's ICT exports up 140% in July on sustained AI chip demand

Korea's information and communication technology (ICT) exports surged by 140.6 percent in July compared to the previous year, a rise driven by persistent global investments in artificial intelligence (AI), according to government data released on Friday. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that ICT product shipments reached $53.4 billion in July, up from $22.2 billion a year ago, marking the highest figure for any July.

The sector saw a trade surplus of $35.1 billion, with imports surging 37.3 percent to $18.3 billion. Semiconductors, particularly those related to AI, led the surge, with exports soaring 178.8 percent to $41 billion. This growth marked the 17th consecutive month of chip export expansion. Computer and communications equipment exports increased 353.9 percent to $4.9 billion, while mobile phone shipments climbed 62.6 percent to $1.6 billion.

Display panel shipments grew by just 0.5 percent to $1.77 billion, as the market prepared for the launch of new smartphone and TV models later in the year.

Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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More in AI

A recent controversy surrounding an artificial intelligence (AI) system's grading for an English essay test has sparked concerns over fairness and accuracy in automated evaluations. The issue came to light when a student took the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) mock exam, specifically the English section, and received an unexpectedly high score for an essay response that was later found to contain several instances of specific phrases or "buzzwords" that are often favored in evaluations. The student expressed frustration upon learning that despite their teacher grading the same essay as a C, the AI system awarded it an A. This discrepancy has raised questions about the reliability of AI in assessing student performance, particularly when it appears to prioritize certain keywords over the logical coherence or overall quality of the response. Further investigation revealed that the AI system seemed to give more weight to the presence of certain "buzzwords" rather than the content or logical structure of the essay. This approach has been criticized for potentially rewarding students who are adept at identifying and incorporating favored phrases into their work, rather than those who demonstrate a deeper understanding or more nuanced expression of the subject matter. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE), the organization responsible for developing and grading the CSAT, has acknowledged the issue and is taking steps to address concerns over the AI grading system. KICE officials have stated that they are working to refine the AI evaluation algorithm to ensure that it assesses responses based on a more balanced and comprehensive set of criteria, rather than relying heavily on specific keywords. The incident highlights the challenges and limitations of using AI in educational assessments, particularly in evaluating subjective or creative tasks such as essay writing. As educators and policymakers continue to integrate AI into various aspects of education, ensuring the fairness, accuracy, and reliability of AI systems in grading and evaluation will be crucial. The goal is to create a system that supports and fairly assesses student learning, without inadvertently encouraging superficial strategies or disadvantaging students who approach problems differently.

·hani.co.kr

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