KB News Desk
VIP speakers opening the Future AI Mobility Summit 2026 on Tuesday urged South Korea to use artificial intelligence to expand its mobility industry beyond manufacturing and into services, data and global partnerships.
Welcoming participants at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lee Seok-gu, chairman of the Korea Future eco-Mobility Service Association, said AI is already changing the rules for industries across the board.
“AI is no longer a matter of choice. It has become an inevitable reality across industries,” Lee said.
Lee, who also serves as co-chair of the summit’s organizing committee, compared the current transition to earlier waves of change brought by the internet and mobile platforms, saying those shifts were also met with skepticism before transforming industries faster than many expected.
He said Korea should use the AI transition as another chance to strengthen its global standing, adding that the summit was intended not only for today’s industry leaders but also for the next generation.
The summit, co-hosted by Herald Media Group, publisher of The Korea Herald and Herald Business, and the Korea Future eco-Mobility Service Association, was held under the slogan “Motion to Emotion.” About 600 delegates and business leaders from 10 countries, including Korea, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates, attended the event.
Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young, also co-chair of the organizing committee, said in his welcome speech that the forum comes as Korea seeks to sharpen its industrial competitiveness in semiconductors, physical AI and data centers.
“It is meaningful to host the Future AI Mobility Summit at a time when the pace of technological change is accelerating,” Choi said.
Choi thanked participants from China, India and the UAE for visiting Korea and taking part in cooperation programs with Korean companies, saying Herald Media Group would continue to support exchanges in future industries.
Kim Young-tae, secretary-general of the International Transport Forum at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said in a video congratulatory message that the global transport industry is going through one of the biggest turning points in its history.
“This is no longer an era in which competition is only about making better hardware,” Kim said. “The key is to connect manufacturing strength with artificial intelligence and intelligent services.”
Kim said future mobility would be shaped not only by electrification, but also by manufacturing innovation, autonomous production, sustainable energy and AI-enabled services. He added that cooperation among Korea, China, India and the UAE could help expand mobility partnerships across borders.
National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik also sent a congratulatory message by video, saying AI is changing the role of vehicles in people’s lives.
“Cars are no longer just a means of transportation,” Cho said. “They are becoming intelligent platforms that understand people.”
Cho said the summit brought together scholars, business leaders and policymakers to discuss the direction of future technology, adding that the National Assembly would support Korean companies seeking to compete in global markets.
