AI progress has triggered an industrywide scramble to secure top cybersecurity talent, whose value has skyrocketed in the AI era. (Image courtesy of PixaHive/CCL)
SEOUL, Mar. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – For artificial intelligence to truly shine, it needs to intimately understand user preferences, habits and idiosyncrasies — the more personal data, the better for AI to seamlessly control smart home appliances and devices. But as AI burrows deeper into private lives, concerns over data security intensify.
With the treasures of personal medical histories and intimate details fueling AI progress, protecting this wealth of data has become paramount. This growing priority has triggered an industrywide scramble to secure top cybersecurity talent, whose value has skyrocketed in the AI era.
LG Electronics is taking matters into its own hands through an innovative training program. The company recently signed an agreement with Korea University to establish the “LG Cybersecurity Track” within the university’s graduate Information Security program.
After a pilot run this spring, the full-fledged program will commence in the fall semester. In an industry first for a South Korean manufacturer, LG will offer full scholarships to enrolled students and guarantee employment upon graduation. Participants will also receive opportunities to attend global cybersecurity conferences.
The impetus behind this bold initiative? Keeping pace with AI’s rapid proliferation across LG’s product lines — from refrigerators and washing machines to air purifiers and air conditioners. As high-performance AI becomes ubiquitous, the company recognized an urgent need to fortify its cybersecurity capabilities.
While LG’s proprietary “LG Shield” service currently safeguards against external threats, the accelerating evolution of AI necessitates continuous security updates. The company assesses that insufficient cybersecurity personnel could prove disastrous in the AI age.
Complementing this home-grown talent pipeline, LG is also aggressively recruiting external experts, exemplified by the recent hiring of Ko Ha-joon, a former Harvard researcher and former cybersecurity lecturer at Osaka University.
“As on-device AI becomes mainstream, data security will be paramount,” said an industry insider. “We anticipate an intensifying war for cybersecurity talent across corporations.”
This battle has already commenced, with the definition of “AI talent” expanding from performance optimizers to cybersecurity specialists. Samsung Electronics is among those leading the charge, recently appointing former Ford cybersecurity expert Kim Yu-seung as the head of its Device Experience Security Lab.
“Without robust security, true AI innovation cannot be achieved,” emphasized Han Jong-hee, the president of Samsung’s Device Experience division, underscoring the company’s heightened focus on bolstering its cybersecurity ranks.
Yet demand continues to outpace supply year after year. According to Google research, the Asia-Pacific region faces a shortage of 2.16 million cybersecurity professionals — dwarfing the combined deficits of 500,000 in Latin America and the U.S., and 300,000 across Europe.
While the South Korean government has declared nurturing 100,000 cybersecurity experts a national priority, allocating 439.3 billion won this year — a 20 percent increase from last year — experts argue these efforts fall woefully short of meeting the supply gap.
“As we enter the AI era, research into improving data privacy and ethics is underway, along with a flurry of new regulations,” said Lee Woojin, a professor of artificial intelligence at Dongguk University. “Companies that neglect cybersecurity will not survive in the age of AI.”
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
