In an appearance on KBS1TV's documentary "Insight: Talent War 2 - Chey Tae-won's Response" aired on May 28, Chey stated, "The definition of talent will change in the AI era." He explained that in a time when AI evolves faster than humans, it is crucial to determine what skills to learn and develop.
Chey described the future talent profile as not just AI developers. He remarked, "AI talent does not only refer to engineering students." He believes that individuals who can effectively integrate human and AI capabilities and connect various fields will become increasingly important.
Chey views the evolution of AI as a transition from 'reasoning AI,' which responds to human questions, to 'agentic AI,' which can make decisions and take actions independently. He noted that this shift could widen the gap between those who actively utilize AI and those who do not, affecting both individuals and nations. The ability to leverage AI effectively will determine competitive advantages.
He identified four key competencies individuals should develop: critical thinking, adaptability, empathy, and physical skills.
Critical thinking is not merely about memorizing facts and performing well on tests. In an era where AI can acquire knowledge and process information, the ability to understand the essence of problems and think independently becomes paramount. Adaptability refers to resilience in making choices and taking action after failures in a rapidly changing environment. Empathy is highlighted as a uniquely human ability that AI cannot easily replicate. Physical skills encompass the ability to create value through physical activities such as music, art, and sports.
Chey also stressed the need for changes in the education system. He argued that schools should not merely serve as spaces for knowledge transmission but should transform into platforms for experimenting with and experiencing coexistence with AI. Regarding the preference for medical schools, he suggested that society and schools need to present engineering and scientific fields as equally attractive options.
Chey's concerns extend beyond individual education. He proposed a national AI strategy characterized by speed, scale, and safety, referred to as the '3S.' To avoid falling behind in AI competition, he emphasized the need to accelerate technological advancements, expand large-scale AI infrastructure and investments, and establish a regulatory framework that ensures safe AI usage for citizens.
Similar sentiments were echoed at a policy seminar held in the National Assembly. On April 28, Chey stated that South Korea must shift its growth model from exporting products to exporting 'intelligence' in the AI era. He defined AI data centers as 'factories for producing intelligence' and underscored the importance of infrastructure investment.
He identified key constraints affecting AI competitiveness, including capital, energy, GPUs, and memory chips. As AI shifts from a training-centric to a reasoning-centric approach, the demand for data centers and memory will inevitably increase. This trend enhances the strategic value of memory semiconductors, where companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix excel.
Chey also pointed out the limitations of South Korea's AI infrastructure, noting that a small proportion of domestic data centers are suitable for AI applications. He emphasized the urgent need for large-scale infrastructure expansion. He identified energy supply as a critical variable, stating that AI data centers require substantial power, necessitating discussions on power generation, transmission, and distributed energy systems.
He asserted that South Korea must become a 'rule maker' rather than a 'rule taker' in the AI era, recognizing that this requires a robust economic scale and industrial foundation.
Chey revisited the topic of enhancing economic cooperation between South Korea and Japan. He believes that South Korea alone cannot secure influence in the technology hegemony competition led by the U.S. and China. Strengthening economic ties with Japan could increase economic scale and create complementary effects in AI, semiconductors, energy, and advanced manufacturing. He mentioned that through South Korea-Japan economic integration, a combined economic zone of approximately $6 trillion could be established.
This proposal for South Korea-Japan economic integration is not new. Since taking office as chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chey has repeatedly highlighted the need for economic cooperation with Japan, citing the limitations of South Korea's market size. He argues that amid escalating U.S.-China competition, South Korea and Japan should leverage their complementary industrial structures to achieve economies of scale.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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