South Koreans use artificial intelligence 1.7 times more sophisticatedly than the global average, according to a survey, which also found that practical AI skills are becoming a priority in corporate hiring.
Google Korea cited the findings on the 27th from a report titled "Korea's Growth and Innovation Led by AI," published by global consultancy Public First. The survey polled 1,057 South Korean adults online from April 17 to 30, with results weighted by age, gender, education level and region.
Forty percent of South Korean workers said companies give preference to job applicants with AI capabilities, the report showed. The most sought-after capability was the ability to use AI-based tools, cited by 35% of respondents, followed by adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies at 21% and strong communication and interpersonal skills at 12%.
Proficient use of AI translated into higher productivity. Workers who wrote advanced prompts after AI skills training completed tasks in one-third of the time required by those using basic prompts, according to the report. Productivity gains from AI training amounted to between 2.3 million won and 4.7 million won per worker annually.
Interest in AI education also ran high. Seventy-four percent of respondents said they were interested in training to strengthen their AI capabilities. Among parents, 55% said learning to use AI safely and effectively was as important for their children as core subjects such as math and English, while another 30% said it mattered more than those subjects.
Google is running an education program called AI Ollim in response to the trend, offering courses from introductory to advanced levels for young people, developers, startups and companies.
"A consensus on the importance of AI capabilities is forming more strongly than ever in both workplaces and classrooms," a Google official said. "Google will continue to actively support future talent in building practical, hands-on AI skills across a range of fields."
