LG Group speeds up its digital transformation drive

With its efforts towards AI-driven digital transformation, LG Group is inviting AI experts from startup companies for lectures and nurturing in-house AI talent.

The theme of this month’s LG Forum, hosted by the LG Economic Research Institute, has been decided as “The present and the future of AI application,” according to the industry on Monday. The LG Economic Research Institute, the think-tank of the conglomerate, analyzes issues at home and abroad every month and sheds light on them at the forum through expert lectures and discussions. The forum is significant in that it delivers the group’s management message to in and outside the company and displays its management direction. The forum is an extended version of the group’s executive seminar, a quarterly meeting of key executives from LG affiliates which began in 1998.

Nam Se-dong, CEO of AI startup VoygerX, will present at this month’s LG Forum. Nam is an expert of deep-learning technology, who developed the precursor of web-based chat service Say Club. VoygerX is a startup making auto-subtitle generators using voice recognition technology. It appears LG is taking lessons from successful open innovation cases outside the company for its own open innovation drive.

The drive for AI technology and digital transformation has been the keyword highlighted by LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo since he took up the post in 2018. The chairman has expressed his will to bring innovation to the company and its corporate strategies by strengthening the company’s capability in AI and big data analysis. At a company workshop of presidents held for the first time since the chairman’s taking office, Koo stressed the importance of digital transformation by saying it is an important means of creating better customer values.

Against this backdrop, LG Group is planning to set out detailed ways to strengthen its AI competitiveness this year. It has created a training program called “LG AI master nurturing course” at its human resource development center with an aim of nurturing 100 AI talent. LG plans to train employees at its affiliates on AI technologies so that they can lead AI innovation at their companies after training. LG Electronics recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Seoul National University to nurture big data talent.


Hyun-Seok Lim lhs@donga.com