[Text and Photos by E-Daily Reporter Oh Hee-na ] In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) creates images and videos, allowing anyone to easily become a creator, how should humans prove their value? Rather than simply keeping pace with the rapid advancement of technology, an event was held in Seoul that asked, “Why should we use this technology?” and fostered actual collaborations between creators, companies, and institutions.
The spotlight was on “Futura Canvas,” a three-day creative ecosystem conference held from the 1st at the Platform L Contemporary Art Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Organized by the professional conference organizer (PCO) Dot Planner with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Foundation’s “Seoul-Based International Events (S-BIC) Promotion Project,” this event has been running for four years with the goal of creating a “platform event” where art, technology, and business are continuously interconnected.
◇“In the AI Era, Humanity, Not Efficiency, Is the Competitive Edge”
This year, under the theme “New Paradigm: Beyond Creation to the Ecosystem,” approximately 1,000 creators, artists, developers, and representatives from brands and companies from Korea and abroad participated to explore ways to collaborate on building a new industrial ecosystem. Tim Levericht, co-founder of the global community “House of Beautiful Business,” who took the stage for the keynote address on the first day, identified human imagination, empathy, and the value of relationships as unique domains that cannot be measured by AI technology.

Levericht emphasized, “In an era where AI handles tasks more quickly and efficiently than humans, ‘efficiency’ is no longer a differentiating competitive advantage,” adding, “Rather, human elements that cannot be measured by numbers—such as relationships, vulnerability, dignity, and beauty—will become an irreplaceable strength.” He continued, “If you cut out the unnecessary in the name of efficiency, you end up cutting out everything,” and advised, “We must guard against the arrogance of thinking we can control everything.”
Following the keynote speech, a roundtable discussion titled “The Proof of Value” was held, featuring Yeo In-taek, CEO of Peaches One Universe; Lee Jun-yeop, Director of Gallery Shilla Seoul; and Yumi An King, CEO of Aww, a Japanese company specializing in virtual humans. They shared insights on how creators’ beliefs and ideas are transformed into tangible value and business opportunities. Lee Jae-hoon, who attended the event, said, “I gained new inspiration by listening to the diverse experiences of artists working with AI, galleries, and other traditional art business professionals.”
◇From an NFT Event to a “Creative Ecosystem Platform”
The event, which began in 2023 as “CryptoArt Seoul,” rebranded as “Futura Canvas” the following year, expanding its focus from blockchain to art and technology in general. The 2024 event, held at Cave House in Itaewon, drew approximately 1,000 attendees across nine programs featuring 44 speakers and artists as presenters and panelists. Following the event, online content views reached 160,000.
Last year, the event moved to Ab Studio in Seongsu-dong and experimented with a format that combined lectures and discussions with art screenings, performances, and art tours led by professional docents and artists. Kim Ji-yoon, CEO of Dot Planner, explained, “We focused on creating ‘points of contact’ where people active in different fields could meet in a single space,” adding, “We expanded the scope of the event beyond simply listening to discussions on the relationship between technology and art to an experience where attendees could engage directly through artworks and the space itself.”

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took things a step further this year. The focus was on transforming the “points of connection” created thus far into actual “collaborations.” Creators, technology infrastructure companies, brands, collectors, and public institutions gathered in one space to exchange ideas and foster connections that lead to actual projects and business opportunities. This was achieved through programs such as keyword-based coffee chats, pitching sessions, global distribution workshops, and AI sound mentoring. This is where “Futura Canvas” sets itself apart from typical conferences.
The connections made at the event are now leading to follow-up projects. Director Yoon Seung-rim of Legend Film, who directed the music video for “aespa,” has launched a collaborative project with an AI artist he met at Futura Canvas. “Kijip” and “Buckchan” also collaborated to produce merchandise utilizing AI. CEO Kim explained, “Another key performance indicator for the event is not the number of participants, but how many collaborations and projects result from it.”
◇Expanding Functions to a Year-Round Community
Organizers are also working to boost participant retention rates and establish a stable revenue model. Dot Planner is currently exploring ways to maintain relationships among participants through memberships or regular gatherings even after the event concludes. The vision is to expand the event’s role from a once-a-year gathering to a year-round community.
The company is also preparing to expand into a global event by increasing the number of international participants. This decision is based on the belief that combining Seoul’s cultural and industrial resources with the domestic network of creators and companies will enhance the event’s competitiveness on the international stage. The vision is to create a virtuous cycle where the networks built through the event lead to partnerships—such as projects and business ventures—and the culture of collaboration fostered in this way, in turn, attracts new participants.
CEO Kim stated, “With the advancement of AI technology, the role of creativity—which is the most human of qualities—and the ecosystem that sustains it has become even more important.” He added, “Futura Canvas aims to provide creators, planners, and business leaders from around the world with new business opportunities and possibilities that go beyond simple networking.”