Written by Stanislaus Tjahjadi

On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 6, 2025, National Sun Yat-sen University’s International Business Bachelor Program (IBBA) was delighted to host Professor Sung Joo Park, Professor Emeritus of KAIST Business School, for an insightful guest lecture in the International Marketing course, exploring the dynamic world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), its applications, and ethical considerations. Professor Park, a distinguished figure in AI and innovation management, shared both his vast knowledge and personal journey in the evolving AI landscape.

Tracing the fascinating history of AI back to its inception in 1954, Professor Park highlighted the field’s remarkable resilience, from the difficult years of the "AI winter" in the 1970s to the revolutionary resurgence with machine learning and neural networks in the 1980s. The professor vividly recounted his personal experiences, from completing his Ph.D. at Michigan State University to pioneering work in expert systems.

“Current AI systems, despite their groundbreaking capabilities, face
significant environmental and operational challenges”

– Professor Sung Joo Park

He emphasized the considerable electricity and water consumption required by current AI models, highlighting the urgent need for more energy-efficient technologies. His remarks resonated with students who expressed concerns regarding the environmental footprint of AI.

When asked by a student about the possibility of developing less energy-intensive AI systems, Professor Park responded optimistically: "That's precisely what efforts like DeepSeek are aiming at. Many people are actively developing new algorithms to make execution more energy-efficient and sustainable."

Professor Park's lecture also covered practical applications of AI, especially language models like ChatGPT, highlighting their transformative impact on industries including investment banking, customer service, and content creation. However, he warned of AI’s inherent risks such as data inaccuracies—commonly termed 'hallucinations'—and underscored the critical need for robust ethical guidelines and responsible development to address issues of privacy, bias, and potential misuse.

The event concluded on a hopeful note, as Professor Park expressed confidence in future innovations aimed at making AI more sustainable and ethically sound. His engaging session inspired attendees to think deeply about the responsible integration of AI into society, making it clear that while the challenges are significant, so too are the opportunities.

The IBBA program extends its heartfelt appreciation to Professor Sung Joo Park for his valuable insights and engaging discussion. A token of gratitude was presented to Professor Park by our course instructor Dr. François Bouchetoux as representative to commemorate his significant contribution and inspiring presence at NSYSU.