DistantNews
🇰🇷 South Korea /Elections & Politics

Google to Open First AI Campus Outside London in Seoul; President Lee Calls for Basic Income in AI Era

From Hankyoreh · (4m ago) Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Google announced it will open its first AI campus outside of London in Seoul, South Korea.
  • The company's co-founder and CEO, Demis Hassabis, met with President Lee Jae-myung to discuss AI cooperation between Google and Korean research and academic sectors.
  • Hassabis predicted that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) capable of all human cognitive abilities could emerge within five years, potentially causing societal changes exceeding the industrial revolution.

Google's decision to establish its first AI campus outside of London in Seoul marks a significant moment for South Korea's technological ambitions. This move underscores the nation's growing importance in the global AI landscape and signals a strong partnership between the Korean government and leading AI innovators.

Now is the time when basic income is needed in the AI era, isn't it?

— President Lee Jae-myungDuring a meeting with Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, President Lee Jae-myung linked the advancement of AI to the necessity of basic income.

President Lee Jae-myung's engagement with Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, highlights the administration's proactive approach to harnessing AI for national development. The discussions on strengthening cooperation in AI research and development, particularly within the framework of the 'K-9 Project,' demonstrate a clear strategy to leverage AI for tackling complex challenges in fields like bio, climate, and energy.

It is becoming very difficult now. If humans and AI combine to counter AI, there seems to be a possibility.

— Demis HassabisResponding to President Lee Jae-myung's question about the AlphaGo match, Hassabis commented on the current difficulty of competing against AI in Go.

The mention of potential AGI within five years, a topic of intense global discussion, is particularly resonant in South Korea, a nation known for its rapid technological adoption and innovation. The conversation also touched upon the societal implications of AI, including President Lee's emphasis on basic income, a policy that reflects a forward-thinking approach to the economic shifts AI may bring. This dialogue positions South Korea not just as a recipient of technological advancements but as an active participant in shaping the future of AI.

When a 'foundation model' is released, if the provided guidelines are not precise, it can go in a slightly different direction.

— Demis HassabisExplaining the occasional unexpected behavior of AI programs like Gemini to President Lee Jae-myung.

Furthermore, the symbolic gift of a Go board signed by Lee Sedol and Hassabis, commemorating the historic AlphaGo match, adds a layer of national pride and historical context to the meeting. It serves as a reminder of South Korea's past engagement with AI and its current drive to remain at the forefront of this transformative technology. This collaboration is poised to accelerate Korea's AI capabilities and solidify its position as a global AI hub.

Appropriate safety measures, 'guardrails,' must always be included when using and developing AI.

— Demis HassabisAdvising President Lee Jae-myung on the importance of safety measures in AI development and usage.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog