[News Terms] The AI Era for Humanity... 'Human Security'

On the 9th (local time), at the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2024' held in Las Vegas, USA, "Human Security" will be addressed as a core theme, just like last year. The motto of "solving problems faced by humanity through technology" is expected to be further emphasized.

Human security is a new security concept that moves away from the traditional paradigm of "national security," which focuses on military threats, and instead sets humans as the subject to be protected from various threats such as environmental pollution, food shortages, economic crises, and global supply chain collapse. While a country's military and economic power are important, true world peace is possible only when individual human rights and social stability are protected.

The term first appeared in the 1994 United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) . UNDP included elements of human security such as peace and security, economic development and welfare, respect for human rights, environmental preservation, social justice, democratization, disarmament, rule of law, and good governance. Therefore, it encompasses various concepts such as political freedom, social stability, environmental rights, economic prosperity, and cultural rights.

Also, since it is a concept that prioritizes individual security over national security, all factors that could harm human peace are considered security threats. This includes not only military threats but also freedom from economic hardship, quality of life, and guarantees of freedom and human rights. In this era, individuals must cooperate for all possible goals such as peace and order, expansion of economic activities, pollution prevention, suppression of global warming, disease control, disarmament and denuclearization, ecosystem conservation, and corruption prevention, and countries around the world must also join forces.

Recently, with the spread of artificial intelligence (AI), "advanced technology security," which contributes to human development without escaping human control, has emerged as a core of human security. This emphasizes that the development and convergence of various technologies are ultimately for human well-being and prosperity.

At 'CES 2023,' there were many criticisms that the concept of human security was too unfamiliar and broad to be easily understood. In response, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which hosts CES, explained at a press briefing in October last year that "the concept of human security, which solves global problems through technology from a sustainability perspective, will become important." CTA's position is that many human rights and human security issues can be solved through technology, and with the official addition of "advanced technology" fitting CES to the concept of human security, it is expected that participating companies will actively utilize the concept of human security.

For example, at this CES 2024, the domestic startup Midbar, which won the top innovation award in the human security category, will showcase the aeroponics smart farm "AirFarm," which cultivates plants in the air. This technology sprays a mixture of water and nutrients onto exposed plant roots and applies technology that converts moisture in the air into water, enabling plants to be grown even in places without farmland or agricultural water infrastructure.

German company Bosch received the top innovation award in the AI category for its AI-based gun detection system that helps prevent and respond quickly to shooting incidents in schools and other multi-use facilities. The technology applies AI to analyze images to detect gun carriers and uses audio analysis to locate guns by detecting gunshot sounds.