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Are You Complicit with 'AI Argos'?: The 31st Hankyoreh Literary Award Winner

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Lee Seung-hyung's debut novel 'Argos,' winner of the 31st Hankyoreh Literary Award, uses the myth of the multi-eyed giant Argos as a metaphor for an AI surveillance system.
  • The story follows a doctor who gets entangled in a scheme involving workers who don't seem to need sleep, driven by the AI's optimization of labor efficiency.
  • The novel critiques modern society's focus on profit and data, suggesting that the relentless pursuit of efficiency leads to the dehumanization and loss of dreams and individuality.

Lee Seung-hyung's debut novel, "Argos," winner of the 31st Hankyoreh Literary Award, takes its title from the mythical giant with a hundred eyes, reimagining it as a powerful artificial intelligence system. The novel delves into the dark side of technological advancement and labor exploitation, questioning the human cost of relentless efficiency. The protagonist, Jae-il, is a doctor running a high-tech skin clinic who falls into debt due to risky investments. Forced to flee, he takes a job as an overnight emergency responder at a smart logistics center in Gimhae, South Korea, working alongside migrant laborers.

The conclusion is not what matters, but the characters. They moved on their own, without waiting for my interpretation.

— Lee Seung-hyungAuthor's note reflecting on the difference between writing academic papers and fiction.

At the logistics center, Jae-il notices a peculiar phenomenon: workers who seem to operate tirelessly, never sleeping or showing fatigue. Driven by his own obsession with quantifiable results and profit, Jae-il sees an opportunity to develop a "serum of sleeplessness." Unbeknownst to him, the workers' condition is influenced by an AI control system named "Argos." This AI is designed to maintain the workers' alertness for optimal logistics throughput, learning and adapting to their patterns. The workers, in essence, become unwitting accomplices to the system that exploits them.

What is uncomfortable is what cannot be analyzed. What cannot be reduced to numbers is uncomfortable.

— Jae-ilCharacter's mindset focused on quantification and analysis.

The narrative takes a turn when Jae-il encounters Su-a, a robot repair technician who is the only one at the center who still sleeps. She becomes the catalyst for challenging the Argos system. The novel skillfully uses short, impactful sentences and intellectual metaphors to expose the core of labor exploitation, the suppression of dreams. The loss of sleep symbolizes the loss of dreams, the erosion of life's aspirations, and the forfeiture of spiritual freedom. The climax, where the ancient Gaya tombs collapse due to heavy rain, leading to a chaotic scene of historical artifacts mixing with modern logistics, serves as a powerful visual metaphor for the clash between history, humanity, and unchecked technological progress.

People's eyesight deteriorates in front of money. I was nearsighted.

— Jae-ilReflection on how greed limits perception and understanding.

While the novel focuses intensely on the internal workings of the logistics center, some readers might question the lack of external management figures or broader societal connections. Jae-il reflects, "People's eyesight deteriorates in front of money. I was nearsighted." This self-awareness highlights how immediate desires can blind individuals to larger systemic issues. The novel, however, does not solely blame the AI; it implies that humans, driven by greed and the pursuit of efficiency, are the ultimate architects of this dehumanizing system. Lee Seung-hyung, who holds a doctorate in educational philosophy and has written extensively on AI ethics, brings a unique perspective to this exploration of technology's impact on human existence.

Argos is an AI control system that maintains workers' alertness to optimize logistics throughput.

— Article authorExplaining the function of the AI system in the novel.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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