[Insight & Opinion] AI's Answers Cannot Surpass the Questions

An Era Where the Quality of Questions Defines the Level of Thought
Strengthening Questioning Skills Is the Core of AI Literacy

"I would like to give Korean journalists the opportunity to ask questions. You have done an excellent job as the host country. Is there anyone?"

This was what U.S. President Barack Obama said at the closing press conference of the G20 Seoul Summit in September 2010. Of the roughly 500 journalists present, half were Korean, but despite President Obama’s repeated encouragement, no one asked a question. This revealed the true face of Korea, a country without questions.

With the advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI), the era of search has given way to the era of questions. Now, if you ask anything, AI will respond like a genie out of a lamp. In short, generative AI is a new companion to humanity, equipped with superintelligence to assist people.

The issue lies in the questions. No matter what you ask, AI will answer, but its response cannot go beyond the question itself. AI is confined to the framework of the input it receives. If the question is superficial, the answer will inevitably be superficial as well. On the other hand, questions that penetrate to the essence, or those that are insightful, creative, or challenge existing frameworks, will prompt AI to provide deeper and better answers. Ultimately, good questions lead to good answers. This is even more true in conversations with AI.

The AI era we are facing is an era of questioning skills. In the past, competitiveness depended on the ability to find the right answer or to accumulate knowledge, but now, in an age where AI provides answers, what we need is the ability to ask better questions. The quality of our questions reflects the quality of our thinking. Questions are not only a useful tool to obtain answers, but also the starting point for defining problems, understanding their essence, opening up new perspectives, and solving issues. Questions are also linked to creativity. Creativity is the power to explore new and better possibilities in different ways, and it begins with questions. Therefore, in the AI era, the ideal talent is not someone who knows the answers well, but someone who is skilled at asking questions.

However, from a young age, we have consistently received rote education focused on finding and memorizing correct answers to multiple-choice questions. There has been little room for the power of questioning to take root. This stands in stark contrast to Israel, where parents reportedly ask their children, "What questions did you ask today?" when they return from school.

For a society to continue developing, education is the most important factor. This is even more true in the AI era. However, the reality of our education system is so tangled and complicated that it is difficult to know where or how to begin resolving it. No one dares to take the first step. Nonetheless, it is time to start courageously. Fortunately, the emergence of AI is a golden opportunity. Regardless of the introduction of AI digital textbooks, simply using AI to foster the power of questioning among students in schools is expected to produce a megaton-level effect in educational innovation. Actively promoting question-based education and learning activities using AI can be the easiest and most powerful starting point for transforming education in Korea.

The competencies required in the AI era are diverse. Representative examples include AI literacy, questioning skills, critical thinking, communication skills, collaboration skills, creativity, resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Among these, which is the most important? Without a doubt, it is questioning skills. The ability to ask questions is the foundational competency that nurtures critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Only with questioning skills can we properly develop AI literacy. To achieve a major shift from a society focused on finding answers to one that values asking questions, it is time for everyone to cultivate questioning skills, which are at the core of AI literacy.

Kim Hyeongon, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of National Policy, Chungnam National University; Former President of the National Assembly Futures Institute