Lee Soo Man, the founder and former chief producer of SM Entertainment, appeared at the annual general meeting of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) held at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, on May 30 KST. Lee Soo Man attended this event as a keynote speaker, delivering his thoughts on the convergence of the AI industry and K-Pop. 

The former SM Entertainment producer began his speech by reflecting on the beginning of his career. He shared, "Although I became a singer when I was young, I was originally a science and engineering student who liked computers and machines, dreamed of a world of robots, and earned a master's degree in computer engineering. However, because I loved singing more, I eventually became a singer, musician, and producer, which brought me to where I am today."

He went on, "I sang as a singer and later wrote lyrics and composed music. I founded SM and worked to industrialize the music industry. I created K-pop and globalized South Korea's idol industry. Throughout this process, intellectual property rights became my most important asset and the driving force that nurtured the K-pop industry."

He then added, "K-Pop is a field requiring a significant amount in initial investment. Before going on stage, we train and develop singers over several years. Through this process, our K-pop has created music that amazes the world." The producer emphasized, "Copyrights protect the rights of artists, provide material compensation, and allow them to continue their activities. SM holds various content copyrights, including music, albums, and performances. Initially, illegal tapes were rampant. Now, with identification codes attached, users can be tracked. When I look back on how the protection of copyrights has progressed, I realize how important this progress has been." 

Regarding AI, Lee Soo Man explained, "AI and chatbot technology are rapidly changing the ways we communicate today. Human-like or even more attractive models are gaining human fans. They also started communicating with fans in real-time. I think AI chatbots could become humans' best friends and even lovers."

He showed confidence in the integration of AI and K-Pop, saying, "This technology will greatly contribute to improved communication with fans worldwide. The grafting of K-pop and AI is a fusion of culture and technology that promises broad interactions with fans. AI already possesses amazing capabilities in text generation and image creation. But it is also true that with the advancement of AI, issues such as copyright infringement, illegal copying and distribution, plagiarism, and the exposure of unprotected creative works leading to economic losses for creators could arise."

To prevent these issues, he argued, "Clear copyright laws need to be enacted, and the development and global standardization of copyright infringement prevention technologies are necessary. I believe that AI chatbots, avatars, and robots should be issued a kind of ID card, essentially making them part of a real-name system."

Meanwhile, Lee Soo Man left SM Entertainment in March of 2023 due to internal management disputes. His appearance on this day marked his first public appearance at a domestic event in approximately 9 months. Recently, speculations over his return to the entertainment industry arose after it was reported that Lee Soo Man had filed a trademark for a business called "A20 Entertainment".

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