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🇰🇷 South Korea /Technology

AI should be a tool for human prosperity, accessible to all

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • South Korean political leaders across the spectrum are advocating for 'AI basic rights,' emphasizing universal and equitable access to artificial intelligence technologies.
  • The push aims to ensure that AI, despite its high development costs and data requirements, can be utilized by everyone with minimal economic burden.
  • Concerns remain about the potential for AI to exacerbate inequality due to high costs, data quality issues, and security-driven access restrictions, highlighting the need for education and careful consideration of digital divides.

A growing consensus among South Korean political leaders, including President Lee Jae-myung and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, is coalescing around the concept of 'AI basic rights.' This movement advocates for ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has the right and opportunity to access and utilize artificial intelligence technologies without discrimination.

Everyone, anyone, should be able to use AI without discrimination.

— Various Political LeadersThe core principle behind the push for 'AI basic rights' in South Korea.

The push for 'AI basic rights' stems from the increasing integration of AI into daily life and the recognition that it could become a fundamental tool for human progress. Political figures are united in their commitment to making AI accessible, stating their intention to allow widespread use with minimal economic barriers. This reflects a belief that AI should serve humanity broadly, rather than being a privilege for a select few.

We will ensure that everyone can use AI easily while minimizing economic burdens.

— Various Political LeadersA shared commitment expressed by South Korean political figures regarding AI accessibility.

However, the path to universal AI access is fraught with challenges. The astronomical costs associated with AI development, data acquisition, and processing create significant barriers. Furthermore, the quality of data used for AI training is crucial; 'garbage in, garbage out' remains a pertinent adage, meaning flawed data leads to flawed AI outputs, a phenomenon known as hallucination. These factors risk excluding those with fewer financial resources from the outset.

If you put in garbage, you get garbage out.

— Information and Communication Industry SayingAn adage highlighting the importance of data quality in AI, quoted in the article.

Beyond cost and data quality, security concerns also play a role. The U.S. government's restrictions on its companies' AI models, citing national security, illustrate how advanced AI technology can be treated as a strategic asset. This 'asymmetric' approach, where access is limited based on national interests, could lead to a new form of inequality, dividing individuals, organizations, and even nations based on their AI capabilities. The article stresses the need for careful consideration of education and digital literacy to bridge the gap between AI-savvy youth and older generations, ensuring that AI's benefits are truly shared.

Those who do not have what others have can become a threat.

— Park Ki-woongProfessor at Sejong University, commenting on the implications of restricted AI access, as cited in the article.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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