In an effort to advance artificial intelligence (AI) research and digital governance, KAIST and New York University (NYU) have launched the Republic of Korea (ROK) Institutions-NYU AI and Digital Partnership on September 21 at NYU's Greenwich Village campus.

The signing ceremony for this collaboration featured NYU President Linda G. Mills and KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee, along with key figures such as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and South Korean Minister of Science and ICT Jong-ho Lee. Additionally, the event marked the first anniversary of the Digital Vision Forum, an event held a year ago at NYU that laid the foundation for this partnership.

During the signing ceremony, President Mills expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "We are honored to bring together leaders in government, academia, and industry to commemorate a vital and historic partnership that will propel scholarship and advancements in technology."

United States Senator Charles Schumer praised the partnership, highlighting its significance in addressing AI, one of the most important issues of our time. He commended the collaboration between NYU, a leading research institution, and South Korea, one of America's strongest allies and research partners.

Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the US National Science Foundation, emphasized the importance of human values in technological development. He stressed the need for responsible and ethical AI tools that are free from bias and prioritize the security and privacy of people.

NYU-KAIST Global AI & Digital Governance Conference

The significance of this partnership was further emphasized during the NYU-KAIST Global AI & Digital Governance Conference, held on the same day at NYU’s John A. Paulson Center. The conference brought together over 300 experts, professors, and students from various fields to discuss the direction and policies related to AI and digital governance. 

The conference featured a panel discussion led by Professor Matthew Liao, director of the Center for Bioethics at NYU's School of Global Public Health. It touched upon topics such as regulatory approaches to AI and digital technology, the potential military use of deep learning in medicine, the responsibility of AI scientists to ensure positive applications of AI, the impact of external regulations on computer scientists developing AI models, and the lessons learned from regulations in other fields. The discussions underscored the urgency of establishing a regulatory framework that balances digital development and ethics, particularly in a world where digital transformation accelerates technological advancement while raising concerns about digital divides and misinformation.

The panel consisted of esteemed scholars, including Professor Kyung-hyun Cho, Deputy Director for NYU Center for Data Science & Courant Institute; Professor Luciano Floridi, Founding Director of the Digital Ethics Center at Yale University; Professor Urs Gasser, Rector of the Hochschule fur Politik at Technical University of Munich; Professor Shannon Vallor, Baillie Gifford Professor in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence at University of Edinburgh; Professor Stefaan Verhulst, Co-Founder & Director of GovLab's Data Program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering; and Professor Jong Chul Ye, Director of Promotion Council for Digital Health at KAIST. 

President Lee welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of a global governance system that allows for the coexistence of digital innovation and the values of freedom. Minister Lee delivered a congratulatory speech, highlighting the need for discussions on regulation and ethics in the era of digital transformation.

Professor Ye emphasized the importance of finding a balance between regulation and innovation, asserting that excessive regulation could hinder progress. He called for the development of technical mechanisms for regulation that align with international standards.

The partnership between NYU and KAIST has been developing over the past year, with the establishment of the KAIST-NYU Joint Campus aimed at fostering innovative research in STEM fields. This collaboration leverages NYU's global presence and KAIST's scientific expertise, creating a dynamic campus within NYU to enhance KAIST's visibility in the heart of New York City.