'AI Application Training' with Instructor John Kim at Traditional Market Foundation

Today I met young merchants at the Traditional Market Foundation in Daejeon. The topic was 'AI-Powered Store Operations and Automation.' I opened with a few questions, and not a single person had ever used agentic AI. When I played the AI role and ran a simulation, I was amazed at how quickly they caught on.

When I showed examples of using generative AI to create promotional content and automate repetitive tasks, their eyes lit up. These merchants run their shops in the middle of the market. Instead of backing away because the tools seemed hard, the first thing they asked was "How can I use this in my shop right now?" They lined up with questions during the break and after the session.  It is not about teaching technology; it is about changing how people work. Surprisingly, the people who adopt it fastest are the ones on the front lines every day. The moment these merchants get agentic AI in their hands, the game starts all over again! (I am heading straight off to get my hair dyed afterward, ugh.)