AMCHAM Holds '2026 HR Workshop'... Explores Organizational Management in the AI Era with Google and OpenAI

More than 100 corporate executives and HR and legal leaders attend
"Clear work standards and risk management systems are essential"

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM Korea) has organized a forum to discuss changes in the workplace brought about by the spread of artificial intelligence (AI), workforce management, and responses to legal and organizational risks.

AMCHAM Korea said it held the “2026 HR Workshop” on October 27 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, with more than 100 attendees, including corporate executives and senior officials in human resources, technology, legal affairs, and compliance.

The workshop was held under the theme “AI-Ready Workforce: Leading People & Managing Risk in the Age of AI.” It focused on exploring ways to use AI to strengthen employees’ capabilities and boost productivity, as well as assessing workforce management challenges and legal and organizational risks.

James Kim, chairman and CEO of AMCHAM, delivers welcoming remarks at the "2026 HR Workshop" held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on the 27th. AMCHAM

James Kim, chairman and CEO of AMCHAM Korea, said, “As AI is changing how we work, it is the role of business leaders to guide this transformation so that it benefits both companies and employees. Employees need the skills and confidence to use AI effectively, while business leaders must establish clear work standards and manage risks.”

National Assembly member Cho Kyung-tae, co-chair of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentary Union, said, “For companies to achieve sustained growth, the adoption of technology must be accompanied by the development of future talent and systematic risk management. I will do my utmost to establish the institutional foundations that support the development of the AI industry and corporate innovation, and to strengthen advanced technology and economic cooperation between Korea and the United States.”

Lee Sang-im, director of the Vocational Competency Policy Division at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, introduced K-New Deal Academy (KNDA), a vocational training program for young people, and urged foreign companies with global competitiveness and expertise, as well as domestic companies, to help young people grow by drawing on each company’s strengths in their training programs.

A panel discussion is underway at the “2026 HR Workshop,” held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on the 27th. AMCHAM

Presentation sessions highlighted changes to work brought about by AI and real-world examples of its use by companies. Yoon Chae-eun, head of public affairs and policy partnerships for Google Asia Pacific, said, “AI is already widely used in the workplace, and employees are using it as a collaborative partner for a range of tasks, including brainstorming, research, and solving complex problems. Using AI as a tool to enhance people’s capabilities can boost organizational productivity while adding meaning and value to work.”

Eum Seong-won, head of communications at OpenAI Korea, shared examples of enterprise use of ChatGPT, saying, “It can help employees reduce the burden of repetitive tasks and focus more on strategic work that requires judgment and creativity. However, since AI can also be used to make cyberattacks faster and more sophisticated, it is important to strengthen AI-enabled defenses as well. In this process, companies should clearly define the data AI can access and the tasks it can perform, and ensure that important decisions and actions are reviewed and approved by people.”

Lee Seon-jae, Asia-Pacific HR operations lead at Speakeasy Labs Korea, shared ways to integrate AI into everyday work to increase productivity and improve organizational efficiency, drawing on Speak’s experience. “AI is rapidly expanding what individuals can do, but translating that potential into capabilities across an entire organization is a separate challenge. Rather than simply encouraging the use of AI, organizations need to redesign how information is shared, how work flows, and how roles and responsibilities are defined,” Lee said.

The panel discussion was moderated by Hong Jeong-a, executive director and head of membership and strategy at AMCHAM Korea. Participants included Yoon Chae-eun, head of public affairs and policy partnerships at Google; Lee Seon-jae, lead at Speak; attorney Park Hyun-je of Kim & Chang; and Choi Ji-hee, head of human resources at The Estée Lauder Companies Korea.

The panelists discussed three key pillars: enhancing employee capabilities, delivering measurable results across the organization, and building internal trust while ensuring regulatory compliance. In particular, they agreed on the need for “responsible AI adoption” that goes beyond simply pursuing efficiency to ensure legal certainty and trust among employees.

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