Digital-native companies often lead in willingness to adopt AI and the breadth of its use, but that does not always translate into the highest level of operational maturity, a 2026 report found. Executives at digital-native firms most frequently cited embedding AI at scale across core business processes as a top investment priority. The report distinguishes broad deployment from full operational embedding, including use by more than 100 users under SLAs with continuous monitoring. Examples in South Korea highlight the need for shared data, governance and operating foundations.

The National Research Foundation of Korea has appointed Lee Deuk-hee (이득희), a principal researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology\'s Bionics Research Center, as head of the information and convergence technology division under its National Strategic Research Headquarters. The foundation said Lee will oversee tasks related to support programmes in the division\'s remit for two years from Aug. 5. Lee holds a master\'s degree from Seoul National University and a doctorate from the University of Tokyo.