Senior Manager Kim, part of LG Chem’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team, has embraced the company’s recently launched artificial intelligence (AI) service, ChatEXAONE, as a “junior assistant.” Tasks like designing social responsibility programs, which once required extensive time to review materials and cross-check regulations, are now accomplished within seconds. A simple command such as “Analyze the latest legal updates and CSR examples from other companies” yields immediate results. Kim admitted he previously hesitated to request frequent revisions from human colleagues but now appreciates the ability to make unlimited requests to AI without guilt. “The time saved allows me to focus on core tasks, such as program implementation and feedback analysis,” he explained.
Major South Korean companies are rapidly adopting in-house AI services, reshaping workplace culture. While security concerns initially hindered widespread AI adoption last year, firms are now racing to integrate AI systems into their internal networks, reducing data leak fears. It has become common among corporate employees that “AI drafts major group reports instead of mid-level managers.” These AI systems streamline tasks such as collecting data for reports, summarizing international research, requesting interdepartmental data, and preparing meeting minutes—duties traditionally assigned to junior staff.
South Korea’s leading conglomerates are accelerating the integration of AI tools across their operations. Samsung Electronics pioneered the trend last year with the introduction of “Gauss” and “DS Assistant,” two work-specific AI tools. LG group followed suit on Nov. 9, making “ChatEXAONE” accessible to all employees. SK group is preparing to roll out its AI service, “A. (A dot) Biz,” beginning with SK Telecom and SK C&C next month, with plans to expand it to 20 affiliates by mid-2024. These initiatives aim not only to enhance internal efficiency but also to establish a foundation for “AI monetization” as companies prepare to commercialize these technologies.
Samsung Electronics has taken significant steps in utilizing AI for software development. Its consumer electronics and smartphone divisions use “code.i,” while the semiconductor division relies on “Code Mate.” A Samsung representative explained, “AI analyzes existing development codes and generates drafts tailored to product specifications. Previously, developers wrote all the code from scratch, but now they refine AI-generated versions.” Approximately 60% of Samsung’s software developers in the consumer electronics division now use AI tools.
These AI systems are often described as “versatile new hires.” LG’s ChatEXAONE, for instance, offers 14 job categories and 133 task-specific commands. SK’s A. Biz Pro tailors its features to various roles, such as reviewing HR documents, drafting press releases, and conducting case law research. Lotte group’s marketing teams have been using “AIMS” since July, leveraging its 87 features for tasks like market analysis, content creation, and media strategy. Meanwhile, KT Corporation has automated spam detection, a task previously performed by employees, through its AI systems.
Employees cite the elimination of monotonous tasks as AI’s greatest benefit. At Lotte group, junior employees no longer spend hours drafting meeting minutes, thanks to the AI service “Aimember.” “We used to manually transcribe meeting discussions and format them according to company guidelines,” one employee noted. “Now, we simply register the attendees and their email addresses before the meeting, and the AI summarizes the 60-minute session and distributes the minutes within two minutes.”
These AI systems, embedded with extensive internal data, also act as “mentors” for new hires. By providing access to team manuals, corporate policies, and explanations of technical terminology, AI significantly shortens on-the-job training periods, allowing new employees to quickly adapt to their roles.
