[A Sip of Books] In the Age of AI, 'Value' Matters More Than the Amount of Information

Editor's NoteSome sentences encapsulate the entire content of a book, while others instantly connect with the reader and create a point of contact with the book. Here, we introduce such meaningful sentences excerpted from books.

In an era where digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the way we live and work, author Koo Bonkwon presents new conditions for the "empowered individual" in his latest book. The author argues that while power in the past was derived from lineage, wealth, and innate talent, today the ability to utilize AI tools-accessible to anyone-has become a new source of strength. He further emphasizes that in this age of information overload, it is not blind accumulation of knowledge that matters, but the ability to selectively acquire the knowledge one truly needs-a process he calls "unlearning." The book highlights that the ability to critically evaluate AI-generated results and make final judgments-AI literacy-will become a key competitive edge for individuals in the age of artificial intelligence.

The traditional methods of learning and preparation, once considered unchanging rules for future success, are rapidly losing their value in the face of "know-it-all" generative AI. Some people, feeling that no matter how hard they try, human abilities can no longer match those of machines, end up feeling pessimistic or helpless. -p.9

When it comes to working with AI, your major or background does not matter much. Cristobal Valenzuela, CEO of the video-generating AI company Runway, was a typical liberal arts student who majored in economics and business as an undergraduate and studied art in graduate school. Alex Karp, CEO of the highly valued data analytics company Palantir, majored in philosophy as an undergraduate and earned a doctorate in law. -p.27

The world of artificial intelligence, governed by the law of exponential growth, is more like a liquid than a solid. It is always rapidly changing and fluid, with instability as a fundamental characteristic. In constantly changing situations, one must accept that there are no stable or efficient solutions and that everything is in a state of perpetual flux. -p.59

There is a saying in Silicon Valley that venture capitalists do not invest in founders who have never experienced failure, valuing failure as an important asset. In fact, research shows that founders succeed after an average of 2.8 attempts. In Silicon Valley, the culture goes beyond encouraging failure; it is widely shared and learned from. -p.63

Unlearning does not mean not learning, but rather refers to the intentional act of erasing or letting go of what one has learned or already knows. -p.67

To store new information in the brain, one must first empty out old and useless information, like draining stagnant water. Only then can relearning proceed properly. "Unlearning" is an essential prerequisite for effective relearning. -p.72

In the past, the goal of learning was "more information," but now it has shifted to "more relevant information." The pursuit of "more information" was an old goal formed when information itself was a valuable resource during times of scarcity. "More relevant information" is a new goal born in the digital age of information abundance. -p.80

Yuval Harari, an Israeli historian, pointed out during his visit to Korea in 2016 that "80 to 90 percent of what students are taught in school today will likely be completely useless by the time they are in their 40s." He added, "In today's world overflowing with information, the last thing students need to be taught is 'more information.'" -p.88

To engage in effective unlearning, it is helpful to adopt methods of self-objectification that make you aware of the limits of your own thoughts and experiences. Just as a mirror or photograph can show you your face, which is hard to see with your own eyes, an objective view of yourself requires a third-person perspective. -p.95

A true expert does not rely on certificates, experience, or reputation, but is someone who, based on a deep understanding of their field, is able to quickly update themselves on subtle changes and new developments. In other words, they are the most passionate learner in their field. -p.109

As artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation technologies advance, most manufacturing processes are becoming automated, leaving only the final stages (inspection and supervision) as tasks for humans. While design and construction are increasingly automated by machines, the final stages of inspection and supervision must ultimately be handled by people. -p.119

To judge whether a translation has captured the meaning and atmosphere of the original poem, one must be able to recognize this. Without the ability to distinguish between accurate and beautiful sentences in Korean and English, the quality of the chosen translation inevitably suffers. This is why discernment is even more important in the age of artificial intelligence. -pp.123-124

Even though the number of associate lawyers on their teams has decreased, managing and partner attorneys have been able to handle their work more efficiently by utilizing AI legal services. This is thanks to their discernment, developed through years of experience and expertise, which allows them to identify the key issues in litigation and determine how best to use the results provided by AI services. -p.129

Artificial intelligence is not a "human replacement technology" that makes experts obsolete, but rather a "capability amplifier" that makes experts even more competent. -p.139

Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of "The Little Prince," said, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." Regardless of how difficult or easy a technology is to use, those who make the best use of it are not the most technically skilled, but those who have dreams and desires. -p.142

Recent advances in artificial intelligence and various AI agent services provide even greater capabilities for streamlining and automating existing cloud, outsourcing, and automated work environments. Rather than assigning multiple tasks to a single AI agent, the approach is to use multiple AI agents simultaneously, each handling different tasks. This is similar to how companies hire employees for various roles and achieve corporate goals through meetings and collaboration. -p.161

Cartoonist Lee Hyunse launched the "AI Lee Hyunse" project at the end of 2022. Through this project, the artist hopes that AI will learn Lee Hyunse's unique art style, worldview, and characters, and reinterpret them in the latest webtoon style, or create entirely new works or homages. -p.194

In most workplaces, job competition is not a contest between humans and machines, but rather takes the form of competition between people. -pp.197-198

The Age of the Empowered Individual in AI | Written by Koo Bonkwon | Gimmyoung Publishers | 240 pages | 18,000 won