We need a new Socrates, Mencius and Jeong Yak-yong for the AI era

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) heralds a transformation unparalleled in human history. While technological progress has consistently improved human life, the shift triggered by AI goes far beyond the evolution of mere tools. It marks a turning point at which the very definition of human existence may be reshaped. We stand at the threshold of an era whose ultimate consequences remain difficult even to imagine. On the optimistic side, AI-driven gains in productivity could liberate humanity from repetitive, dehumanizing labor. A future may be approaching in which life is no longer centered on work for survival, but instead on creativity, contemplation, relationships and reflection. The prospect of greater leisure and a more dignified human existence is undeniably compelling. Yet the opposite scenario — a digital dystopia — remains a very real possibility. As AI replaces human labor on an unprecedented scale, the “utility” of the individual may erode, pushing large segments of society into economic and social marginalization as so-called surplus humans. More troubling stilWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times