Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, leading the development of world-class AI, has finally returned to South Korea. His visit is not merely a simple trip; it marks a historic reunion with two figures ten years after the 2016 match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol 9-dan. This morning at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Hassabis will host a three-person forum at the 'Google for Korea 2026' event, featuring Jo Seung-yeon, a writer known for raising provocative topics as the third panelist. At this gathering, the three will reflect on the 10th anniversary of that shocking 2016 Go match and engage in an in-depth conversation about the pace of technological change we face today and the direction society must take for the future. In particular, Lee Sedol 9-dan will attend in his dual capacity as a Go master and a special professor at UNIST, while Jo Seung-yeon is expected to provide sharp insights on the intersection of technology and humanity as a panelist.
The background of this event is to revisit the trend where AI technology, following the emergence of AlphaGo, stepped out of the narrow doors of research labs and rapidly spread into industrial sites and daily life. It will be a forum that ponders not only technical explanations but also the social impact and ethical issues brought about by AI. After the event concludes, Hassabis is scheduled to play a friendly match with Baek Shin-jin 9-dan this afternoon. This match is expected to have the nature of a dialogue rather than a formal contest of winning and losing moves, aiming to jointly explore the next move on how humans and AI can coexist. It is anticipated that the short conversation between the two, lasting about 10 minutes, will provide new insights into the speed of AI development and the limits of human creativity.
Hassabis's visit to South Korea is the first official public event in 10 years since the match with AlphaGo, revealing the results of building a cooperation system with the South Korean government and major enterprises over the long period in between. Just before his arrival, he met successively with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Jeong Deok-sun, and LG Group Chairman Goo Kwang-mo, and also held a banquet with SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won to concretize AI partnerships. This is interpreted not merely as corporate cooperation but as a strategic move to combine Korea's powerful industrial ecosystem with AI technology to enhance global competitiveness. Additionally, on the 27th, he met with the President to discuss the direction of AI development and social acceptance measures, achieving the result of signing a Memorandum of Understanding that includes establishing a cooperation system for technological innovation.
As the AI era fully commences, new changes are expected in various sectors of society. The AI revolution started with the emergence of AlphaGo has now entered a stage of restructuring the entire social system, going beyond the completion of technology. The dialogue and friendly match held today are not just events but will be important opportunities to present a roadmap for how humans and AI can live in harmony. This event, with the participation of experts, business people, and the general public, will be a place to share the future vision of AI technology and imagine the new world we will build together. In the future, the development of AI technology will not stop, and continuous discussion and exploration are needed on what role humans should play within this flow.