Masayoshi Son Advocates for Korea's Readiness in AI Superintelligence

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

This Friday in Seoul, a momentous meeting took place as Masayoshi Son, the CEO and founder of SoftBank Group, engaged with President Lee Jae Myung to deliberate on South Korea's future in the fast-progressing domain of artificial intelligence. The dialogue focused on integrating AI into the nation’s essential infrastructure, ensuring it is accessible to all its citizens.

AI as a Core National Focus
President Lee highlighted the crucial need to entwine AI with foundational infrastructures similar to utilities like water supply and road networks. “The immense capabilities of AI need to be available to every individual and nation,” Lee remarked, underlining initiatives for responsible and inclusive implementation. He also suggested that Son could help forge stronger AI collaborations between South Korea and Japan.

Son Emphasizes the Emergence of Superintelligent AI
Son discussed the notion of artificial superintelligence (ASI), pointing out that while current projects concentrate on human-level AI or AGI, the imminent phase will extend beyond human reasoning. “ChatGPT 5.1 is already capable of passing doctoral exams in disciplines like medicine and physics,” he noted, asserting that ASI could be exponentially smarter than human intellect. He drew a comparison between humans and ASI to illustrate the significant distinctions in capabilities.

Encouraging a paradigm shift, Son called for a cooperative approach towards AI. “In the age of ASI, it will be intelligent enough to foster human happiness and well-being,” he remarked, comparing the future relationship to that of humans with their pets.

Strategic Pillars for Advancement in Korea
During their discussions, Son identified four foundational components necessary for establishing a thriving ASI ecosystem: energy, semiconductors, data, and education. He lauded South Korea's strengths in chip manufacturing, which he viewed as crucial for reinforcing the “memory alliance” with the United States. He urged the enhancement of data centers and a robust energy framework to satisfy future AI needs while prioritizing AI education as a strategic investment.

Bolstering Korea's AI Landscape
In a follow-up to the discussions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy signed a memorandum of understanding with Arm, a SoftBank-supported chip designer, to bolster South Korea's capabilities in AI semiconductors. This initiative includes establishing an “Arm School” aimed at training about 1,400 design specialists, reflecting the country's long-term objective to spearhead AI innovation.

This meeting, instigated after Son’s initial outreach at the APEC summit, convened key officials and industry heavyweights, including Rene Haas, CEO of Arm, alongside South Korean ministers responsible for national AI policies, science, and industry.