The Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises Seoul regional headquarters said on the 26th that it held the "small corporations artificial intelligence (AI) transition strategy conference" at the Small and Medium Business DMC Tower in Sangam-dong.
The conference was prepared to support digital transition strategies for small and medium corporations and micro manufacturers and small merchants, which are relatively marginalized in AI use. Lee Jeong-hee, a Chung-Ang University professor and former president of the Korea Small Business Association, served as chair, and on-site corporate officials, AI corporations, experts from academia and research institutions, and officials from small and medium business cooperatives attended.
Ji Yong-seop, chair of the Seoul Machinery Industry Cooperative, said, "For small manufacturing corporations, order-based design and optimization AI should be introduced before process automation AI," and added, "Support is needed for building data infrastructure and technology infrastructure, developing in-house specialists, and internalizing on-site technology by matching external experts."
Choi Eun-su, chair of the Seoul Jungnambu AI Business Cooperative, noted, "For small corporations, AI is not a gigantic technology but the most capable digital employee," and added, "AI transition should start with small AI practices that cut 30 minutes from employees' working hours."
Jeong Su-jeong, Deputy Minister at the Korea SMEs & Startups Institute (KOSI), explained, "We should push for intelligence and automation of production processes for small corporations and micro manufacturers, and in this process, cooperatives that know industry characteristics best should be at the center," and added, "Government support programs also need to expand and shift to focus on micro manufacturers."
Jeong Gyeong-eun, head of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises Seoul regional headquarters, emphasized the role of small and medium business cooperatives. Jeong argued that cooperatives should establish themselves as hubs for aggregating common demand and jointly commercializing projects, standardizing industry-based data and jointly introducing industry-tailored AI, and operating and spreading adoption after introduction.
Jeong, the Deputy Minister, said, "The government and local governments should designate cooperatives as industry-specific AI transition bases and support industry-specific joint AI development and dissemination."