Stony Brook University Business Management

Professor Younggeun Lee of the Business Management Department at the State University of New York Korea delivered a keynote address on December 9, 2025, at the U.S. Department of State–hosted Entrepreneurship in the Age of AI forum in Phuket, Thailand.

The forum, organized by the U.S. Department of State, brought together 50 delegates from 16 countries, including government officials, NGO leaders, AI startup founders, and academic experts, to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping entrepreneurial ecosystems and global competitiveness.

In his keynote lecture, Teaching Entrepreneurship in the Era of the AI Renaissance, Professor Lee explored how AI is transforming entrepreneurial education, decision-making processes, and venture creation. Drawing on his academic research and recent case studies, he identified seven core themes that characterize contemporary AI-driven entrepreneurship.

Among these, three topics generated particularly active discussion. AI Coach vs. Human Mentor examined the potential of hybrid coaching models that combine human expertise with AI systems trained on deep institutional knowledge bases, such as Y Combinator’s archival materials. The Rise of the AI Co-Founder highlighted how entrepreneurs increasingly rely on AI tools for market research, financial modeling, and early-stage validation, signaling a shift toward “learning with AI” as a foundational entrepreneurial skill. AI-as-a-Judge addressed the use of large language models to evaluate startup pitches with high consistency, while underscoring the continued need for bias monitoring and human oversight in final decision-making.

Professor Lee also discussed broader trends shaping the entrepreneurial landscape, including the growing importance of AI literacy as a societal baseline, the emergence of AI-native universities, ethical concerns surrounding competitive AI deployment, and the accelerating demand for governance frameworks that support responsible AI-driven venture creation.

The forum concluded with participants outlining the AI and Entrepreneurship Strategic White Paper, a confidential U.S.–Indo-Pacific framework focused on AI education, SME innovation, and cross-border digital collaboration. The initiative aims to strengthen geopolitical competitiveness while fostering shared and sustainable growth.

Reflecting on the discussions, Professor Lee emphasized the global implications of AI access and governance, noting that equitable AI literacy and infrastructure will be critical to ensuring that AI-driven innovation contributes to global stability rather than reinforcing existing power imbalances.

Source: SUNY Korea Faculty News
https://www.sunykorea.ac.kr/news/html/sub03/03.html?mode=V&mng_no=1319