※ URL(Korean): https://www.kisdi.re.kr/bbs/view.do?bbsSn=114675&key=m2101113055776&pageIndex=4&sc=&sw=

KISDI Publishes Report on “An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Generative AI on the Media Sector.” 
-    The spread of generative AI signals a restructuring of the media ecosystem 
–  Further research needed on regulatory frameworks and the potential impact on the Korean Wave (Hallyu) 
  
The Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI, President Sangkyu Rhee) has recently released its Basic Research Report (24-08) titled “An Exploratory Study on the Impact of Generative AI on the Media Sector.”

The report explores key potential changes that may arise in the media field due to the spread of generative AI, focusing on three areas: content production, media use, and public policy.

With the advancement of large language models and text-to-video generation technologies, both the creation and consumption of media content are undergoing a profound transformation. By examining these developments across each stage of the media value chain, the study seeks to identify areas where policy responses are needed.

The research anticipates major changes in content production, media consumption, and public policy as follows.

First, content production is expected to become more efficient and less costly, while creativity and diversity are likely to increase. However, there are also negative implications, such as the potential use of generative AI for producing and disseminating false or manipulated information, as well as the diminishing role of human creators.

Meanwhile, as barriers to content creation disappear, the resulting surge in content supply is expected to accelerate the advancement of recommendation algorithms and enhance their value. When combined with virtual and augmented reality technologies, this will further increase the immersion and interactivity of content.

The study also conducted surveys of the general public (n=2,000) and experts (n=30). The results showed that public satisfaction with generative AI services (90.0%) was higher than that of experts (59.2%). Most notably, a much higher proportion of experts than members of the general public agreed that generative AI would have an overall positive impact on society and would also be beneficial to themselves (83.3% of experts agreed, compared to 48.5% of the general public). This finding suggests that some members of the public may still harbor vague fears or resistance toward new technologies.

The report underscores the need for a comprehensive, society-wide response to address the transformations that the spread of generative AI will bring to the media sector, including further research on these changes.
In particular, the research team proposes three key policy implications at this stage.
First, South Korea should initiate a nationwide dialogue on the country’s AI future.
Second, policy efforts to systematically examine the impact of generative AI on the media sector should be accelerated. Third, the media industry itself should treat the spread of generative AI and responses to it as a major social agenda and actively fulfill its role as a platform for public discourse.