[ROUNDTABLE] Korea's blueprint: Become indispensable player in AI world

In the wake of the United States and China's relentless pursuit of artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy, experts gathered in a roundtable discussion titled "Beyond US-China AI race: Korea's strategic edge" to emphasize that South Korea should aim to become an indispensable player in the AI world. Rather than attempting to merely catch up with the technological advancements of its rivals, Korean experts believe that leveraging the nation's unique strengths could place it in a distinctive position within the global AI landscape.

Lee Do-kyung, the founder and CEO of Bone AI, proposed that South Korea could become a "forward-deployed industrial base" for the United States and its allies. By combining American technologies with Korea's robust manufacturing capabilities and advanced semiconductor supply chain, the country could produce, deploy, and maintain AI-powered systems in the Indo-Pacific region.

Lee stressed that the U.S. and its allies face significant challenges in sourcing parts for AI-driven drones, as this process could take anywhere from three to four months by sea. By developing a domestic industrial base, South Korea could potentially shorten these supply chains, reinforcing its strategic importance to the U.S. and its allies.

The roundtable discussion highlighted the necessity of building AI infrastructure that would deepen Korea's strategic value in the global AI arena. As competitors intensify their efforts to dominate the AI landscape, Korea must capitalize on its manufacturing prowess, industrial know-how, and advanced semiconductor supply chain to secure a unique and indispensable position in the global AI market.