[Insight & Opinion] The Future of Homo Sapiens and AI Sapiens

The history of humanity on Earth spans well over a million years. Ancient human species such as Australopithecus, who walked upright; Homo habilis, who used stone tools; and Homo erectus, who walked on two legs and used fire, have all become extinct. Homo sapiens, the ancestor of modern humans, emerged in Africa about 300,000 years ago. Meaning "wise human," Homo sapiens later left Africa and migrated to Europe, Asia, and the Americas, becoming the dominant species on the planet thanks to their large brains, language abilities, symbolic and abstract thinking, collective intelligence, and capacity for cooperation. In this way, the history of our species, Homo sapiens, has evolved and developed over a span of 300,000 years.

However, just three years ago, the advent of generative AI marked a completely new turning point for humanity. Henry Kissinger and Eric Schmidt reflected this reality by titling the original English edition of their co-authored book "The Age of AI: And Our Human Future" as "Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit." The authors are signaling that a new chapter in human history is beginning-one that goes beyond the 300,000-year history of Homo sapiens and is being created together with AI.

Generative AI is by no means a simple tool. It should not be regarded as just another extension of the machines, electrical, or electronic inventions devised by humanity. Generative AI is the invention of a new form of intelligence. It is a general-purpose technology that enables nearly every kind of intellectual activity performed by humans-language, knowledge, reasoning, decision-making, problem-solving, empathy, cooperation, creativity, and imagination-and is an alien intelligence created by humans. But that is not all. AI humanoid robots are less like machines and more like aliens with superintelligence or artificial humans. They are extraterrestrials coexisting with humans on Earth and represent a new companion for humanity.

For the past 300,000 years, Homo sapiens have been the only human species on Earth, but in about ten years, this situation is expected to change. Generative AI is likely to move beyond the status of machine or tool and establish itself as a new human species-AI sapiens-living alongside us. As the possibility of AI complementing, expanding, or even replacing human intelligence grows, the likelihood that AI will be treated almost on par with humans is extremely high.

What should we do? Of course, it is important to make good use of AI, but our fundamental attitude toward AI is even more crucial. Rather than viewing AI as a machine, tool, competitor, or adversary, what if we regarded it as a superintelligent ally and companion who can help me, us, and all of humanity? In that case, actively utilizing AI will naturally follow.

Of course, for humanity, AI carries both potential and risk, as well as the possibilities of coexistence and extinction. The future we create depends entirely on us. AI is the greatest gift and weapon that humanity has invented in 300,000 years. On an individual level, it can serve as an expert, coach, mentor, and companion for nearly every activity-work coaching, life coaching, skill development, capacity building, and mental healing. On a societal level, it can contribute to solving countless social issues and provide the best solutions to long-standing challenges such as the climate crisis, space exploration, and disease treatment. The even better news is that the AI we are using today is the worst AI we will ever use. As superintelligent alien intelligence-AI sapiens-improves by the second, we can envision a new future for Homo sapiens who will live by making unlimited use of it.

Kim Hyungon, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of National Policy at Chungnam National University and former President of the National Assembly Futures Institute