President Lee, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son discuss AI cooperation, artificial superintelligence

President Lee Jae Myung meets with SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

President Lee Jae Myung met with SoftBank Chairman Masayoshi Son on Friday to discuss expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and large-scale infrastructure investment, according to the presidential office.

During the 70-minute meeting that began at 10 a.m., Lee thanked Son for the advice he had offered previous Korean presidents, including Kim Dae-jung and Moon Jae-in. He asked for continued guidance as Korea strives to become one of the world’s top three AI powers.

“Koreans understand both the risks and the benefits of artificial intelligence,” Lee said. “We are working to minimize the risks while investing in its potential. I believe AI can become basic public infrastructure, like water and sewage systems, accessible to all citizens and all nations. Our goal is to build an ‘AI Basic Society’ where every citizen, every business and every organization uses AI at least at a fundamental level.”

Lee also underscored the importance of Korea-Japan collaboration in AI, expressing hope that Son could serve as a bridge between the two countries.

President Lee Jae Myung shakes hands with SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Son warns of coming ‘Artificial Superintelligence’

In response, Son drew on his past discussions with Korean presidents, saying he had emphasized the importance of broadband communications under President Kim Dae-jung and AI under President Moon Jae-in. This time, he said, he wished to highlight the arrival of Artificial Superintelligence (ASI).

Son explained that ASI refers to intelligence not merely 10 times but about 10,000 times more capable than the human brain. While debate continues over when general AI might reach human-level cognition, ASI, he argued, represents a much more dramatic leap.

“Comparing humans with ASI will be like comparing humans with goldfish," Son noted. “If we compare the human brain with that of a goldfish in a fishbowl, we can say the human brain is ten thousand times more advanced. A goldfish cannot do math, nor can it understand English letters like ABC. No matter how much you train or educate it, a goldfish is still just a goldfish. ... Their brain neurons and synapses are different. What matters is not data training or experience — the hardware itself defines the brain. It refers to the overall architecture that the brain possesses,” Son said.

President Lee Jae Myung meets with SoftBank Group Chairman Masayoshi Son at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Son warned that humanity could soon occupy the position of the goldfish in this analogy, explaining that as he defines it, ASI refers to a brain 10,000 times more capable than the human brain.

“We must shift away from the idea of trying to control, train or manage AI,” he said. “Instead, we need new ways of thinking about how to live harmoniously with it.”

Despite this dramatic vision, Son offered reassurance.

“What I’ve shared reflects my perspective on AI. I believe AI will be kind, helpful and capable of making people happier. Just as we do not seek to harm our household pets, we can live peacefully with AI. There is no need to fear that ASI will attack or consume us.”

Son further emphasized that energy, semiconductors, data and education are the four essential pillars for entering the ASI era. He advised that Korea, given its current circumstances, must significantly expand its data center capacity and intensify efforts to secure the energy required to sustain ASI development.

Kim Yong-beom, center, presidential chief of staff for policy, speaks during a press briefing held at the presidential office in Seoul, Friday. Joint Press Corps

Following the meeting between President Lee and Chairman Son, Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, announced that the Korean government and Arm — the world’s largest fabless semiconductor company — have agreed to establish an institution, tentatively named “Arm School,” to train 1,400 semiconductor design specialists. Kim added that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Arm have already signed a memorandum of understanding and will form a working group to develop detailed implementation plans. SoftBank holds about a 90 percent stake in Arm.

“Arm School will operate as a semiconductor-focused training institution grounded in Arm’s chip design IP expertise, producing roughly 1,400 top-tier design professionals,” Kim said during the briefing.

He stressed that the initiative would serve as a “decisive opportunity to reinforce Korea’s weaknesses in system semiconductors and its fabless ecosystem." Kim added that during the meeting, President Lee expressed hopes for expanded cooperation and investment between Arm and Korean startup developers going forward

Ha Jung-woo, senior secretary to the president for AI future planning, further explained that the establishment of the school would significantly bolster Korea’s competitiveness in the field.

“With the launch of Arm School, we will be training highly skilled semiconductor design talent, supported by qualified faculty, specialized curricula and a wide range of program resources and solutions,” Ha said during Friday’s briefing. “This will greatly strengthen the competitiveness of Korea’s system semiconductor industry.”

The meeting took place at the presidential office, with senior government officials in attendance, including Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik; Chief Presidential Secretary of Policy Kim Yong-beom; Senior Secretary for AI Future Planning Ha Jung-woo; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon; Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan; and René Haas, CEO of Arm.