Place of residence: Ulsan, South Korea

Position: CEO of the South Korean start-up CoreDotToday Inc.

Allow us to understand more about your company, CoreDotToday

CoreDotToday is an AI startup dedicated to developing collaboration solutions powered by our core Agent AI technology. We provide bespoke AI solutions for businesses, institutions, and artists, harnessing cutting-edge cloud infrastructure and AI to unlock new possibilities in collaboration.

Our mission at CoreDotToday is to deliver AI solutions that evolve with the times. We aim to simplify the complexities of technology, enabling users to implement customised solutions swiftly and efficiently. Our philosophy centres on the belief that AI can work alongside humans to produce better outcomes, and we are committed to advancing human-centred AI collaboration.

What’s the company’s vision?

We believe creative collaboration between AI and humans can drive social and economic change. We showcase how AI can offer innovative solutions across various industries, including the arts, demonstrating the positive impact of technology through real-world applications.

CoreDotToday plays a crucial role in assisting clients in leveraging AI technology to drive innovation and enhance efficiency. Notable projects include our collaboration with Hyundai Department Store on the AI perfumer Hyscent, and the Namgu AI utilised at Bmore Gallery.

We are dedicated to ethical technology development and believe AI can contribute to a better world through responsible innovation. While concerns about AI replacing jobs and transforming industries are prevalent, we focus on promoting healthy collaboration with AI as the way forward. Our partnerships with organisations such as KBS, Pulmuone, and Hyundai Department Store exemplify this vision in action.

What motivated you to open such a company?

CoreDotToday was founded out of a desire to bridge the gap between rapidly advancing technologies and their adoption in various industries. Drawing from my experience, I observed that new technologies often take considerable time to be effectively integrated, resulting in companies losing their competitive edge. Despite the plethora of emerging technologies, identifying those that offer real value and adapting them to practical environments remains a challenge.

Our aim at CoreDotToday is to make cutting-edge AI technology more accessible to businesses and individuals. I firmly believe that the future lies in collaboration between AI and humans, where AI complements human effort rather than replacing jobs. This philosophy was central to the establishment of CoreDotToday, where our mission is to simplify the complexities of AI, enabling companies to navigate the evolving technology landscape and adopt suitable solutions swiftly.

Please describe a day in your life

I begin each morning with a cup of Bulletproof coffee, my little pleasure as I review the day’s schedule. I prefer to finish my focused work in the mornings, tackling important tasks before meetings. Around lunchtime, I hold brief check-ins with team members to exchange ideas.

My afternoons are usually filled with managing various tasks and overseeing ongoing projects. I place great importance on communication and collaboration with my team throughout the day, striving to maintain a balanced daily routine.

How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them

Currently, we are primarily focused on our main project, chldo.ai. This platform represents the culmination of our efforts in Agent AI technology, where we develop and manage multiple Agent AIs. Each of these agents is designed to enhance collaboration and streamline processes, showcasing the potential of our technology in various applications.

Some notable examples include the Kokkiri Uncle Agent (Kokkiri Factory), the AI Perfumer Hyscent (Hyundai Department Store), the Eau de AI Perfumer (Gangnam-gu Office), Namgu AI (Bmore Gallery), Border Human AI (Artist Kang Shira), and Sungduk AI (Artist Park Sungduk). Each of these Agent AIs is tailored for a specific purpose and is managed through the chldo platform, where they are monitored and operated.

What is your greatest achievement up until today?

One of our biggest accomplishments is successfully testing AI perfumes through our Hyscent pop-up stores. We have engaged with customers at events such as the 2023 Ulsan International Art Fair, the 2024 Hyundai Daegu pop-up, and the 2024 Gangnam Science Festival. In October 2024, we will be at the Hyundai Department Store in Sinchon.

Through these events, we have showcased how AI can assist customers in creating unique personalised perfumes or recommending luxury niche fragrances. These small successes are paving the way for our plan to launch the AI Perfumer Hyscent service online by the end of this year.

What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your work?

The rapidly evolving AI market has posed our greatest challenge. A few years ago, keeping pace with technological advancements was feasible, but since the release of ChatGPT 3.5, the speed of change has accelerated exponentially.

This fast pace requires us to learn new technologies quickly while also navigating the overwhelming noise in the tech market. With so much information available, it can be challenging to distinguish valuable insights from false or misleading data, complicating decision-making.

What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?

I struggled with math for a long time, which often frustrated me. This experience motivated me to create a tool that would help me use mathematics more effectively. I eventually majored in mathematics at university, but I still found it challenging to grasp the statements and theories required to prove even something as simple as 1+1=2. Instead of focusing solely on proofs, I envisioned creating a machine that could assist with these tasks—what they call an Automated Mathematician. I devised a 20-year plan to build this machine, which guided me to graduate school. Now, a decade has passed since I embarked on this journey.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would it be?

I would advise myself to play more and think more. I spent too much time cooped up in my room, missing out on the broader world. The greatest teacher is life itself. I would also tell my younger self to focus on building endurance, as I neglected to exercise far too much back then.

Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?

Yes, I find inspiration in Matt Mullenweg. As the CEO of Automattic, he is a significant figure in the realms of open-source and distributed work. His leadership in Automattic, particularly with WordPress, has transformed perceptions of online publishing and remote work. Mullenweg’s vision prioritises freedom and creativity through technology, and I aspire to run my company with the same values. His philosophy extends beyond mere success; his influence has ignited my passion for developing sustainable, human-centred technology.

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?

It would be Matt Mullenweg. I resonate deeply with his philosophy on open-source, distributed remote work and his vision of using technology to improve the world. He is not just a businessman but a leader who fosters collaboration and growth in a creative and free environment. I would love to hear his thoughts and experiences over dinner and learn how he successfully runs Automattic while maintaining a value-driven culture.

Where would you like to travel next?

I would love to visit the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy. It’s the place where the protagonists in the book “Between Calm and Passion” promise to meet on their 30th birthdays. Now that I’m almost 40 and still haven’t been, it feels like a missed opportunity. I imagine that standing in front of the Duomo would evoke the soundtrack from “Between Calm and Passion”, playing in my head automatically.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology these days?

Last week, I would have said Sam Altman, but this week, I can’t help but think of Geoffrey Hinton, who just won the Nobel Prize for his work in deep learning. In his post-award interview, he mentioned that “AI will be comparable to the Industrial Revolution” but also warned of the potential risks, saying it could become uncontrollable. Although he has voiced such concerns before, the fact that he raised these points after winning the Nobel Prize puts AI safety and ethics in the spotlight more than ever.

If you could pick one app/product/project existing now that you wish you were involved in, what would it be?

I’d love to join the ChatDev Project led by the NLP group at Tsinghua University. ChatDev is a flagship project for Communicative Agents for Software Development. In this project, intelligent agents with roles like CEO, CTO, and CPO collaborate in a virtual software company to develop software.

These agents perform specialized tasks such as design, coding, testing, and documentation, representing a new form of AI collaboration. I’d like to be part of this project and further explore the potential for AI and human collaboration.

What is your next goal?

To grow CoreDotToday into a leading company in AI collaboration solutions. Currently, we’re working on various Agent AI projects within Korea, but in the coming years, I want to collaborate with more global partners and push the boundaries of technology. My goal is to make meaningful changes in various industries where AI and humans solve creative problems together.

What tips do you have for people wanting to start in the tech world?

To succeed in the tech industry, you need constant curiosity and a spirit of experimentation. Don’t try to be perfect—fail fast and learn from it. It’s also important to gain a variety of experiences before choosing your path. Failure is an essential part of the learning process, and the key to success is finding ways to grow through that process.