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

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution is fundamentally misunderstood by most policymakers, who often confuse technological hype with genuine innovation and mistake government spending for strategic investment. This talk cuts through the noise to reveal the real driving forces behind AI development: the interplay of breakthrough research, venture capital dynamics, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and market forces that have made Silicon Valley the epicenter of AI innovation. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for any nation seeking to compete in the AI era, yet they remain largely invisible to those crafting national AI strategies.

The current wave of AI advancement represents not merely incremental progress, but a fundamental shift in how technology intersects with economy and society. From the computational infrastructure required to train frontier models, to the talent pipelines that fuel innovation, to the investment theses that separate transformative companies from wasteful ventures—each element operates according to principles that differ sharply from traditional industrial policy. Policymakers who fail to grasp these dynamics risk squandering resources on initiatives that cannot succeed, while missing the structural changes necessary to build genuine AI capabilities.

Beyond technology and markets, AI’s implications for humanity demand serious consideration from national leaders. The technology poses questions about workforce transformation, economic inequality, national competitiveness, and even the nature of human agency that cannot be answered through superficial understanding or reactive policymaking. This talk provides lawmakers with the framework needed to think clearly about AI’s trajectory, to distinguish signal from noise in an oversaturated information environment, and to make decisions that serve their nation’s long-term interests rather than short-term political expediency.