[Market Pulse] The Secret to Adopting AI "Scientifically" at Our Company

Companies unable to leverage AI despite investing in it

Break down tasks, integrate systems, strengthen security

Scientific adoption tailored to each company's needs

Boost South Korea's standing through participation in ISO standards

The AI boom continues unabated. The stock market has shown such volatility, driven by the financial performance of big tech companies, that circuit breakers have been triggered as the KOSPI approached the 10,000 mark. Meanwhile, individuals seem unsure how to use AI. Many companies are also rushing to introduce AI programs into their work, anxious that they might fall behind the market.

Yet many people have also seen companies spend heavily to build AI systems, only to regret it when the systems proved less useful than expected. These failures occur because companies have overlooked how to introduce AI, a powerful tool, in a scientific and systematic way that suits their organizational needs. Adopting AI is not like simply buying and wearing fashionable clothes; it is a scientific process more akin to bespoke tailoring, which involves taking precise measurements to make a garment that fits perfectly.

The process of successfully integrating AI into a company can also be compared to preparing a meal. Just as a chef follows a recipe, companies should follow guidelines at each step. The first step is to break down existing work into smaller tasks and assess where AI could save the most time and money, such as in routine tasks like drafting emails, handling settlements, or responding to customer inquiries. Next, companies need to build reliable channels that allow AI to exchange data with existing ledgers and software. Finally, they must establish secure data management rules to prevent errors in information or leaks of confidential data caused by AI. Only then can the scientific adoption of AI be complete. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has held discussions on these innovation management methods for more than a decade and has published them as the ISO 56000 series of standards.

There are already many examples in the global market of companies achieving results by adopting AI through rigorous scientific methods. The financial technology company Temenos worked with its customers to develop a smart AI assistant to support banking operations. By connecting AI to existing systems so it could analyze complex financial data and make decisions, the company dramatically improved the speed and security of its operations. In South Korea, the Korea Water Resources Corporation has also incorporated advanced AI technology into water treatment plants that produce tap water. It developed AI-powered water treatment plant technology that uses 5G networks and sensors to predict water conditions and autonomously optimize the purification process, earning high praise for its reliability from water management experts around the world.

An AI typing the word "AI" on a computer. Reuters-Yonhap News

As these examples show, international standards, the shared rules of the world, are a vital foundation for companies using AI to drive innovation. The value of standards, which set benchmarks to help companies everywhere use technology safely, continues to grow. In this regard, it is welcome news that our government recently succeeded in securing another term on the ISO Council, outperforming competing countries. This means South Korea will serve as a key player in setting global standards policy for the next three years.

Against this backdrop, the General Assembly of the Innovation Management Technical Committee (ISO/TC 279), bringing together innovation experts from around the world, will be held in Seoul from November 2 to 6. The assembly is expected to provide a forum for discussing global standards on how companies can safely adopt cutting-edge science and technology. Ultimately, innovation management with AI is not a race to see who can move faster, but a competition to set the right course and reach the destination safely. AI adopted in haste simply to follow a trend, without proper standards or preparation, can instead come back as a boomerang, causing major disruption and security risks for an organization. The ISO assembly in Seoul next month is expected to provide South Korean companies with important guidance on navigating technological innovation in the right direction. By keeping pace with safe international standards recognized around the world, and by gradually building a scientific framework for adopting AI, we can transform our workplaces into smarter and more sustainable environments.

Kang Seongju, Visiting Professor at Sejong University and Chairman of the Innovation Forum

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.