Sunghee Yun (He/Him)

Co-Founder & CTO @ Erudio Bio, Inc., Co-Founder & CEO @ Erudio Bio Korea, Inc., Leader of Silicon Valley Privacy Preserving AI Forum (K-PAI), AI-Korean Medicine Integration Initiative Task Force Member @ The Association of Korean Medicine, KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative Fellow @ Salzburg Global Seminar, Adjunct Professor @ Sogang University, Advisory Professor @ DGIST, Global Advisory Board Member @ Innovative Future Brain-Inspired Intelligence System Semiconductor of Sogang University, Network Expert @ Gerson Lehrman Group, Advisor & Evangelist @ CryptoLab, Inc., Chief Business Development Officer @ WeStory.ai

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved from symbolic reasoning and rule-based systems to the transformative breakthroughs of deep learning, large language models (LLMs), and multimodal generative AI (genAI). This seminar explores the trajectory of AI development, highlighting pivotal milestones such as the deep learning revolution, the advent of Transformer architectures, and the rise of agentic AI systems. We will examine how technological progress—fueled by exponential data growth, advances in hardware accelerators, and massive private and public investments—has propelled AI into the mainstream, reshaping industries and redefining productivity at an unprecedented pace.

A central theme of the seminar is the emergence of AI agents powered by multimodal LLMs. These systems integrate text, vision, audio, and structured data to perceive, reason, and act in complex environments, ushering in a new era of human-AI collaboration. Applications span from creative design and scientific discovery to healthcare diagnostics and autonomous systems, revealing both the vast potential and the pressing challenges in building reliable, interpretable, and ethical AI systems. Alongside these technological advances, we will also discuss critical societal questions around bias, consciousness, and the implications of striving for human-level AI.

Finally, the seminar connects AI’s evolution with biotechnology, where models like AlphaFold have demonstrated AI’s ability to solve grand scientific challenges. By accelerating drug discovery, enabling personalized medicine, and integrating multi-omic data, AI is reshaping the future of healthcare and life sciences. These developments highlight not only the extraordinary promise of AI as a creative and scientific partner but also the responsibilities of researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers in steering AI toward outcomes that enhance human welfare while mitigating risks.

shorter version

This seminar explores AI’s evolution from early symbolic systems to today’s transformative deep learning, large language models (LLMs), and multimodal generative AI (genAI), driven by exponential data growth, hardware advances, and massive investments. The focus is on emerging AI agents that integrate text, vision, audio, and structured data to perceive, reason, and act in complex environments, enabling new forms of human-AI collaboration across creative design, scientific discovery, healthcare, and autonomous systems, while raising critical questions about bias, consciousness, and ethics. The discussion extends to AI’s impact on biotechnology, where models like AlphaFold are accelerating drug discovery and personalized medicine, highlighting both AI’s extraordinary promise as a scientific partner and the responsibility of researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to ensure AI development enhances human welfare while mitigating potential risks.