Post by National AI Research Lab (NAIRL)

We were delighted to host Johnny JW Choi, Managing Director at FuturePlay, for our Monthly Distinguished Lecture Series co-hosted by KAIST AI and the National AI Research Lab (NAIRL) at the Seoul AI Hub. With over 300 participants joining both on-site and online, the session provided profound insights into the evolving landscape of deep tech entrepreneurship and the realities of the AI investment market. Key Insights from "Deep Tech Startups and AI from a VC’s Perspective": • The 'Lab-based Startup Dilemma': World-class technology doesn't automatically equal a world-class product. Moving from lab-scale tech to a commercial product requires a heterogeneous team with diverse skill sets, moving beyond the academic mindset. • The Era of Commoditized Intelligence: As AI becomes a baseline capability, simply providing fragmented technical features is no longer a viable competitive edge. • Building the Ultimate Moat: True exponential growth (J-curve and I-curve) in the Post-GPT era will be driven by deep 'Domain Expertise' and proprietary 'Real-world Data' that AI cannot easily access on its own. • The Rise of Physical AI: Integrating AI with physical infrastructure—such as Self-driving Labs that autonomously generate hypotheses, experiment, and accumulate data—will define the next generation of high-value deep tech startups. The highlight of the day was the spirited Q&A session. Our KAIST AI students drove the conversation deep into team-building strategies, transitioning from academic research to commercial processes, and the future of AI-driven scientific discovery, proving once again their passion for creating real-world impact. We are deeply grateful to MD Choi for his candid advice and for sharing the vivid, unvarnished perspectives of the VC industry. We look forward to seeing the incredible deep tech innovations that will emerge from these insights! Read more: [https://lnkd.in/gTFMCkR7] #NAIRL #KAISTAI #FuturePlay #DeepTech #VC