Songyee Yoon

Songyee Yoon is a visionary leader, investor, and author in the AI and gaming industry, with over twenty years of experience developing and executing innovative strategies for global online game companies. After graduating from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Songyee went on to earn her PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)in Computational Neuroscience. Her strong belief in the concept of “play” as a crucible for innovation eventually led her to NCSOFT, a leading global video game developer and publisher, where she served as president and chief strategy officer. In this role, she led the AI transformation of the company, applying AI for game development and various aspects of business operations. She also oversaw the company's growth from a 350-person company to a global organization across seven countries in Asia, Europe, and  North America, driving strategic initiatives in monetization, marketing, branding, business development, licensing, ESG, and education. Songyee brings a unique lens to bridging different approaches to technology and ethics, and is an involved figure in the international business community. Songyee served under two presidents while a member of South Korea’s Presidential Advisory Council for Science and Technology. She is a member of the MIT Corporation and served as an advisory board member of the Center for Asia Pacific Policy, where she continued to explore the social and ethical impacts of AI and other technologies. She also serves on the board of trustees for the  Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and San Francisco's Asian Art Museum. She was  named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, elected member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, and one of the “50 Women to Watch in Business” by the Wall Street Journal. Songyee’s latest book Push Play explores the significance of play on innovation, drawing lessons from games, medicine, human resources, and other industries.