North Korea is conducting research to prepare for the transformation artificial intelligence (AI) will bring. It emphasizes that AI must be actively embraced across all sectors of the economy.
According to sources on North Korea, Kim Il-sung University published a paper titled “Utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology in Economic Practice” in the Economics section of its academic journal, Volume 70, Issue 2, 2024.
The paper states, “The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is playing a significant role in economic development in various aspects, thereby achieving new innovations and advances in economic development,” and “We must actively embrace modern science and technology, including artificial intelligence, in line with the Party's policy requirements and global economic development trends. By digitizing, intelligentizing, and ultimately automating production processes, we must lay the material and technological foundation for revitalizing production and contribute to developing the economy to world-class standards.”
The paper explained that today's reality, where scientific and technological knowledge plays a pivotal role in economic development, demands the active adoption of modern science and technology, such as artificial intelligence, in economic activities. This will strengthen the material and technological foundation of the economy and improve management activities.
It noted that in many countries today, research into artificial intelligence is deepening, and technological and equipment conditions such as big data technology, cloud computing technology, and ultra-high-speed parallel computers are being established. As a result, artificial intelligence is entering an industrialization phase and playing a very important role in the management activity process.
The paper also stated that the rapid development and application of AI in recent years has accelerated the intelligent transformation of socio-economic life. The introduction of AI enables the resolution of complex problems arising in economic sectors such as production organization, transportation organization, financial management, and monetary management.
It pointed out that active efforts are underway to vigorously introduce AI into the economic sphere, driving development across multiple economic sectors—beyond individual equipment, production processes, and factories—including industry, agriculture, construction, finance, and transportation.
The paper argued that AI is exerting a significant influence on industrial sector development, with the characteristics of AI-driven intelligence becoming particularly prominent in the machinery manufacturing sector.
It also explained that AI is being actively introduced into the agricultural sector, opening prospects for increasing agricultural output, and that intelligent construction utilizing AI is being promoted in the construction sector. It conveyed that introducing AI in the financial sector is also a crucial issue, with efforts underway to scientifically analyze currency circulation patterns using AI and select the most rational monetary control measures. It added that in the transportation sector, advanced technologies like AI-based road environment monitoring and management, transportation command systems, and automated driving support systems are being introduced.
The paper argued that the most crucial aspect of introducing AI into the economic sector is evolving the integrated production system into an AI-based intelligent integrated production system. This intelligent integrated production system is described as an intelligent factory automation system that integrates core information technologies—including cyber-physical production systems, the Internet of Things, and big data analysis—with production technologies and product lifecycle management technologies.
The paper also emphasized the importance of improving search methods for economic data using artificial intelligence. It argued that to meet the diverse informational demands arising in economic management and corporate management, intelligent search technology utilizing artificial intelligence must be developed and actively applied to economic data retrieval.
North Korean authorities have not officially announced or introduced the direction or policy for AI adoption. However, this material offers insight into the direction. This is because the Kim Il Sung University research is conducted based on the North Korean authorities' stance and policy direction. North Korean papers undergo review by the authorities; If they differ from the Party's position, they cannot be published or made public. It can be seen that the content of the papers reflects the stance of the North Korean authorities.
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