Digital deepening

The Seoul Digital Foundation describes itself as the digital control tower of the city, "sitting in the forefront of exciting city-wide digital innovation." What is the organization’s primary goal and how radically is digitalization transforming Seoul?

The Seoul Digital Foundation (SDF) was established in 2016 as a Seoul Metropolitan Government-funded institution with the aim of "enhancing citizen welfare through the use of advanced digital technologies and supporting the sustainable development of Seoul."

With a vision to strengthen Seoul’s global competitiveness as a smart city, SDF actively engages in a diverse range of initiatives, such as supporting Seoul’s scientific administration, promoting digital inclusion, and empowering innovative startups.

Our primary aspiration is to build an inclusive and equitable city for all. I firmly believe that this goal can be achieved through a synergistic approach that combines technological innovation, resolute policy action, and citizen participation.

We’ve already witnessed the transformative power of smart technologies in driving positive urban change, from enhancing energy efficiency to improving the overall quality of life for residents. Recognizing the importance of equitable access to these advancements, we have implemented policies to bridge the digital divide, ensuring all social groups fully benefit from essential services. Guided by a comprehensive survey of digital literacy among residents, SDF is spearheading initiatives to empower citizens with the digital skills necessary to thrive in the modern era. These include digital education and a digital usability evaluation certification system based on the thorough assessment of digital literacy among citizens. I believe we can pave the way towards a sustainable and inclusive city with the active participation and collaboration of diverse stakeholders and citizens, and with the continued efforts of SDF.

In 2022, you won an Intelligence Awards grand prize for your "artificial intelligence sewer pipe fault detection system." Tell us what that does and how it will improve city life?

In a groundbreaking collaboration with Seoul’s Information-System Supervision in December 2022, SDF unveiled the AI-Powered Sewer Defect Detection System. This revolutionary technology leverages artificial intelligence to automatically identify 20 types of sewer defects from closed-circuit TV footage, promptly alerting inspectors to potential issues. This remarkable capability has garnered prestigious accolades, including the grand prize at the 2022 Korean Intelligent Information Systems Society Conference, and recognition as the best practice at the "Global AI Summit" in Saudi Arabia in the same year. The impact of this solution extends far beyond Seoul, attracting significant interest from cities across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly those facing challenges with aging sewer infrastructure. By enabling AI to proactively detect sewage leaks, soil contamination, road and surface subsidence, and sinkholes, the system not only safeguards citizen safety but also addresses the inefficiencies of 24/7 manual monitoring.

Tell us about other initiatives in which you’re seeking to harness that AI potential.

Marking the dawn of AI governance in 2024, the SDF is embarking on a series of initiatives to advance AI-powered services, foster prompt engineering expertise, and establish robust safeguards for AI implementation. This year we plan to pilot two services using the newly developed Seoul-type Small Large Language Model (sLLM). First is Anywhere Q&A Service(어디나문답기), which will be trialed within the educational framework of the Anywhere Support Group (어디 나지원단), aiding digital novices, especially the elderly, in using digital devices.

The second involves chatbot services for officials, where AI will be trained to assist with complex and intricate tasks, such as interpreting contract manuals. In the third and fourth quarters of 2024, SDF will develop a Prompt Engineering Manual for public sector training. This advanced manual, following the initial chatbot training, aims to enhance proficiency in utilizing generative AI through comprehensive education. We also plan to conduct institutional research to ensure the safe adoption of AI in the city. We are currently collaborating with Laval University in Canada on a study to develop AI impact assessment indicators. Moreover, we intend to continue various research activities on the social impacts of AI.

You’ve also said that the establishment of smart cities should be aimed at creating a people-centered lifestyle rather than just introducing new technologies. Are cities, including Seoul, getting that balance right?

The first-ever Seoul Smart Life Week (SLW) event, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and organized by SDF, marks the beginning of these efforts. SLW is Seoul’s inaugural comprehensive event focused on smart life. While it shares similarities with events like CES in Las Vegas and Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, its most significant distinction is its "people-centric" approach, rather than a sole focus on technology.

Unlike most smart city exhibitions that emphasize businesses, technology, and B2B interactions, SLW uniquely showcases "life-cycle technologies" applied to citizens’ daily lives. It will highlight how cutting-edge technologies are integrated into the lifestyle of Seoul, allowing citizens to directly experience these innovations. The program will be divided into four main areas: pre-events and official events, conferences, exhibitions, and networking. It will take place over three days, from Thursday, October 10th to Saturday, October 12th, at COEX in Gangnam.

What is the role of big tech companies and solutions providers such as Huawei in advancing the smart city movement?

I believe the most important role of big tech companies and solution providers is building the technological infrastructure. The advanced network infrastructure provided by these companies is a key component of a smart city. For example, using 5G networks to optimize data transmission or deploying IoT solutions to connect numerous devices and sensors enables real-time monitoring of city-wide data and efficient decision-making. Therefore, it is crucial for cities like Seoul to integrate solutions from top companies into public services to enhance citizen convenience, so the Foundation is also committed to discovering excellent solutions from leading companies. Recently, we have been promoting a Global Startup Exchange Project to cross-demonstrate Seoul's outstanding solutions with cities like London and Montreal, facilitating the exchange of technology to promote the development of both cities.

What kind of responsibility do you feel in your role, in terms of the impact you can have on so many lives?

Now we are transitioning from the era of digital transformation to an era of digital deepening. The digital transformation era involves digital technologies supplementing human life, whereas digital deepening is characterized by rapid advancements in innovative technologies, such as AI, fundamentally transforming society and coexisting with humans. As a digital control tower of the city, I feel a profound responsibility to lead these significant changes in citizens’ lives. In pursuing our project, I always prioritize the needs of citizens, since the ultimate goal of the smart city envisioned by Seoul is to create a convenient and seamless daily life for its residents. Moving forward, the Foundation will continue to leverage technology to address urban issues in various areas such as transportation, environment, and safety. We aim to ensure that all citizens can benefit from these advancements without any exclusion.

What makes you most optimistic about the future of smart cities and what keeps you awake at night worrying about it?

While technological innovation holds immense promise for enhancing citizens' quality of life, it also brings to the forefront critical concerns around "technological security issues." Recently, the imperative for robust information security regulations has become increasingly apparent, particularly in light of instances involving the unauthorized disclosure of personal and sensitive corporate data via AI-generated responses, such as those produced by solutions like ChatGPT.

In response, SDF took proactive measures by crafting the Seoul Generative AI Ethics Guidelines in November of 2023. These guidelines serve as a compass for navigating the ethical landscape of AI, underscoring the norms that users, operators, and developers must uphold to mitigate AI-related risks. Looking ahead, SDF remains committed to harnessing the transformative potential of technological innovation while simultaneously tackling security and accessibility concerns head-on. It is a balancing act, but one that we are fully dedicated to mastering as we chart the course for a brighter, more inclusive digital future.