LG head tells colleagues to 'break free from convention' at generative AI workshop

LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo emphasized innovation and a customer-centric approach, showcasing AI advancements in various sectors, at a workshop with LG executives.

LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, center, sits with other executives during a workshop in Icheon. [LG GROUP]

At a workshop centered on long-term management strategies, future business environments and generative AI, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo encouraged his colleagues to “aim to be the best, the first, and to do our utmost to shape the history of LG’s future.

“We pioneered the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle battery that became a turning point in the electric vehicle era, even when there was talk of going out of business. And we were the first to get FDA approval for a drug that would not have been possible in Korea, raising the foundation of the Korean drug industry,” Koo said at Wednesday's meeting in Icheon, Gyeonggi, during which 40 executives from LG Group and its affiliates evaluated various ways in which the conglomerate has attempted to utilize AI.

“As we look ahead,” Koo said, “let’s continue to break free from convention.”

The attendees examined the effects of case studies such as that of LG Electronics, which has used an AI-powered chatbot for internal data analysis.

Affiliates such as LG Energy Solution and LG Display also shared examples: The former has delved in smart factories while the latter utilizes AI to detect and control anomalies in its manufacturing process.

Attendees also experienced AI mobility firsthand, including “Affectionate Intelligence,” the company's in-vehicle assistant that tailors various settings of a vehicle's interior to driving conditions, as well as an AI-based service that summarizes calls.

The executives also discussed the company's efforts in the areas of biotech and sustainability as well as AI, including case studies in which the firm used the technology to validate more than 1,000 compounds in six months and enabled the rapid design of customized battery cells, reducing development time from two weeks to a single day.

Workshop participants recognized the need for change, not only in electronics, but also across most of the company's businesses. They agreed the need for customer-centric approach and a corporate culture that encourages innovation.

“LG stands, today, as a global leader because we boldly set our sights on being the first and the best,” said Chairman Koo.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]