AMCHAM workshop explores AI-ready workforce, CEO risks

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) held its HR Workshop 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Tuesday, bringing together about 100 business leaders and professionals to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, workforce transformation and corporate risk management.

Under the theme “AI-Ready Workforce: Leading People & Managing Risk in the Age of AI,” the workshop explored how companies can use AI to improve productivity and employee capabilities while addressing legal and organizational challenges.

“AI is changing how we work. Our job as leaders is to make that change work for our businesses and our people,” AMCHAM Chairman and CEO James Kim said. “Employees need the skills and confidence to use [AI tools] well, while leaders need to set clear expectations and manage risk.”

Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae, co-chair of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentary Union, emphasized the importance of investing in future talent and strengthening risk management alongside technology adoption.

In a keynote presentation, Lee Sang-im, director of the Vocational Skills Policy Division at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, introduced the K-New Deal Academy, a youth vocational training initiative that works with companies to provide industry-specific training and prepare young people for employment. Lee encouraged foreign-invested companies to participate by sharing their expertise.

Chenie Yoon, APAC public affairs lead at Google, presented findings from the company's ATLAS study, examining how real-world AI use is reshaping jobs and tasks. She highlighted applications including brainstorming, research and complex problem-solving.

Eum Sung-won, head of Korea communications at OpenAI, discussed how ChatGPT can help employees reduce repetitive tasks and focus on work requiring judgment and creativity. He also stressed the need for stronger cybersecurity, clear data-access rules and human oversight of critical decisions.

Lee Sun-jae, APAC people operations lead at Speakeasy Labs Korea, which operates the AI-powered language-learning platform Speak, said companies must rethink how knowledge is shared and responsibilities are defined to turn AI adoption into lasting organizational improvements.

Matthew F. Jones, a foreign attorney at Kim & Chang, outlined practical measures chief executives can take to reduce legal risks in Korea, highlighting the strategic role of human resources teams.

A panel discussion moderated by Claudia Hong, senior vice president of AMCHAM, brought together Yoon, Lee, Hyunjae Park, a senior attorney at Kim & Chang, and Jihee Choi, senior HR director at Estée Lauder Companies Korea.

The panel examined how businesses can move beyond AI experimentation to broader implementation while balancing productivity gains with employee trust and legal compliance.

The workshop concluded with a networking luncheon, where participants exchanged views on workforce development and responsible AI adoption.