German Innovation Days kick off with focus on human-centric AI
German Innovation Days opened Wednesday in Seoul, as an initiative hosted by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in cooperation with Herald Media Group to spotlight Germany’s multidimensional approach to innovation and to deepen ties with Korea’s business and startup communities.
The monthlong program aims to connect German innovators with leaders of German-affiliated companies in Korea, as well as Korean startups and researchers working in high-tech fields.
German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt, delivering opening remarks, challenged romanticized notions of how innovation occurs.
“When we think of innovation, we often imagine a scientist sitting alone until suddenly — bang — a new idea appears, and the next day everyone is driving a new car or using a fantastic technology,” Schmidt said. “But the reality is not like this.”
“Innovation is hard work,” he continued. “It’s teamwork — incremental steps, thousands of experiments that fail, and the one that succeeds.”
He stressed that innovation must ultimately serve people, not simply produce inventions. “Innovation happens for human beings,” Schmidt said. “We always need to ask: Does it really improve my life?”
Schmidt also highlighted the participation of German AI specialist Kinga Schumacher, known for her work on ethical and inclusive artificial intelligence.
“She has emphasized the importance of making AI fair, accessible and free of built-in biases,” he said.
The kickoff event drew around 70 to 80 participants, according to Jorn Beissert, head of the embassy’s economic department.
“Most attendees are connected to Germany in some form — German nationals, Koreans working at German companies and members of innovation-driven industries,” he said. “There are about 500 German companies operating in Korea, many of them active in cutting-edge sectors.”
German Innovation Days will run through Dec. 16, featuring 12 sessions covering AI, hydrogen technology, digital transformation and social innovation. The ambassador said the goal is to highlight three interconnected pillars of innovation: technological, entrepreneurial and social.
Echoing that vision, Schumacher stressed the need for broader civic engagement in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
“I want to show the importance of human-centric AI,” she said. “The basic message is that everybody can do something — anyone who makes decisions that affect others. It’s not only about AI systems, but also the environments in which AI systems operate.”
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