[Insight & Opinion] "It's Not Technological Supremacy, Stupid"

With ChatGPT gaining immense popularity worldwide, interest in super-large artificial intelligence is increasing. ChatGPT, a generative AI, is even regarded as a game changer that will disrupt the rules of existing industries. For this reason, global development competition is also intensifying. Our government plans to announce its super-large AI industrial policy direction soon, and the National Assembly has proposed legislation to nurture and support domestic related companies.

Interest in and competition for super-large AI are closely linked to the global competition for technological supremacy. As is well known, the United States and China are engaged in a fierce competition at the national level to foster and protect strategic technologies. In particular, AI technology is considered a core strategic technology that satisfies both national security and civilian demand. The US-China technological supremacy competition is expanding comprehensively beyond AI to include quantum technology, next-generation communications, biotechnology, and more.

South Korea stands at the center of the intensifying US-China technological supremacy competition. Especially, semiconductors are a very important strategic asset that South Korea can leverage as a fulcrum in its relations with the US and China. However, in the deepening technological supremacy competition, we cannot focus solely on semiconductors. Proactive efforts are needed to discover, nurture, and utilize strategic technologies that can form the foundation of future national competitiveness beyond semiconductors. Against this backdrop, KAIST established the ‘National Future Strategic Technology Policy Research Institute’ in early March this year, and I was appointed as the director of the institute.

To discuss the institute’s future operational direction and the establishment of a global network, I sent an email to my former advisor, American futurist Professor Jim Dator. While explaining the background and purpose of the institute’s establishment and seeking advice, the 90-year-old professor sent an unexpected reply. Although he did not express it directly, the overall nuance of the email was, “You fool, the problem is not technological supremacy competition.”

According to Professor Dator, the most urgent challenge humanity faces now is climate change and the Anthropocene. He said that worsening climate change could pose a serious threat to human existence and could bring shocks incomparable to those from super-large AI. Professor Dator stated that the US and China do not have the luxury to engage in technological supremacy competition solely for their own interests. He lamented that the two countries are competing for their short-term economic and military benefits when they should be cooperating to respond to the climate crisis. He emphasized that now is the time for the US and China to respond to the climate crisis through cooperation and harmony. He added that South Korea should play the role of mediator to lead the US-China relationship from one of ‘competition and conflict’ to one of ‘cooperation and harmony.’

I was somewhat taken aback by the unexpected reply from the elderly professor, but at the same time, I felt that another mission had been given to the institute I lead. Strategic technologies to enhance the nation’s future competitiveness are important. However, technologies that can solve the climate crisis might be the core technologies to realize a sustainable future for South Korea and humanity. Furthermore, if South Korea can mediate and lead the US and China from a ‘competitive and conflictual relationship’ to one of ‘cooperation and harmony’ through technology, it would also have a very positive effect on South Korea’s national interests. This seems to be a promising strategic direction that South Korean diplomacy should pursue in the future.

Seoyongseok, Professor, Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST