On January 8, 2024, Shin & Kim LLC announced the launch of the AI & Data Center to proactively respond to the AI-driven data industry.

Since generative AI debuted in late 2022, AI and related technologies have come under the global spotlight as the key driver of the data economy. According to McKinsey, the significant impact of generative AI on all business industries is expected to continue in 2024, and the Economist similarly forecasts a surge in companies across a diverse range of industries embracing AI to enhance their operations.

In response to the growing corporate interest in the promising future of AI data business, Shin & Kim established the AI & Data Center to provide professional consulting services to clients looking to apply AI-enabled data operations or pursue AI-driven data integration as well as all kinds of big data related process. Led by professionals with unparalleled expertise in AI and data policy, regulations, and related markets, the AI & Data Center will advise the firm’s clients on potential business and legal risks they may encounter throughout each phase of the AI-powered data lifecycle and offer systematic and tailored strategies to meet the unique needs of each client.

Specifically, the AI & Data Center will advise clients on legal and regulatory risks and stand ready to provide comprehensive business solutions for their clients’ ICT operations management. Throughout the product launch process, the team will counsel not only on current legal and regulatory requirements, but also on effective strategies for integrating compliance and establishing necessary policies. Leveraging their insights and extensive experience, the team aims to benefit clients seeking data flow optimization, particularly for AI-enabled data, that align with principles such as in Privacy by Design (PbD) and information security management system (ISMS/ISMS-P), along with relevant standards (ISO 27001, 27701).

During the operational phase, the team will assess clients’ entire AI data lifecycle to identify potential risk factors under ICT-related laws, including their approach to dark patterns and automated decisions. The team will also develop effective risk mitigation strategies, enabling clients to expand their AI-powered data businesses.

Closely monitoring worldwide discussions on AI and data regulatory frameworks, the AI & Data Center, in collaboration with local experts, will support clients exploring overseas expansion. The AI & Data Center is also expected to offer customized onsite consulting to regional businesses, taking into account local characteristics and their scale of operations.

Ahead of its launch of the AI & Data Center, the firm strengthened its ICT Practice Group with the hire of renowned industry experts to ensure the success of the AI & Data Center: Jong-in Yoon and Juneyoung Jang. With their profound knowledge of the ICT industry and data governance policies, Mr. Yoon, former Chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission (“PIPC”), and Mr. Jang, former CPO/CPC at Coupang and a member of the Presidential Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, will play a central role in running the AI & Data Center.

• Mr. Jong-in Yoon (Co-chair): Based on his 34 years of prior experience in the public sector, Mr. Yoon will head the AI & Data Center. Widely acclaimed as the leading authority in the field of personal information and data policy with exceptional insight, Mr. Yoon held various positions in the government, including as the Secretary of Administration and Local Autonomy in the Presidential Office, Vice Minister of Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Chairman of the PIPC in the very first years the PIPC rose as the nation’s central data privacy authority.

• Mr. Jae-you Choi (Co-chair): Together with Mr. Yoon, Mr. Choi will serve as the Co-chair of the AI & Data Center. Mr. Choi held various positions in the government before joining the firm back in 2017, including the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (where he served as Vice Minister), the Ministry of Information and Communication, and the Korea Communications Commission.

• Mr. Juneyoung Jang (Vice-chair): With a wealth of experience and expertise in ICT compliance and risk management, Mr. Jang will oversee day-to-day operations of the AI & Data Center as the Vice-chair.

"For AI-data companies where data is the core asset, it is crucial to have in place a prevention system that effectively detects in advance the critical risk of data security and privacy violations," said Mr. Yoon. "The primary goal of the AI & Data Center is to offer clients comprehensive consulting services for the internalization of AI and data compliance to help them cultivate resilience for sustainable growth and survival as a company that applies trusted, reliable, and innovative AI-enabled data solutions."

With the launch of the AI & Data Center, the firm aims to further enhance the competitive edge of its ICT Practice Group and solidify its dominance in the future legal market. The firm’s ICT Practice Group, headed by Sinook Kang, comprises the Technology, Media & Telecommunication (TMT) Team, Privacy & Data Security Team, and the Online Platform & New Technology Team.