Sogang University hosts seminar on AI and job displacement

Sogang University's Jiam Nam Duck-woo Economics Research Institute recently convened a seminar focused on the critical issue of "AI and Job Displacement." Held on May 20th at the Gephart Nam Duck-woo Economics Building, the event brought together academics and policy experts to diagnose the changes AI technology is bringing to the labor market and explore necessary policy directions.

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This seminar was a meaningful session that diagnosed the multifaceted impacts of AI on labor markets and job structures, while discussing policy responses.

The seminar featured presentations by Moon Aram, head of the AI Economic Policy Group at the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion (IITP), and Choi Hoon, a professor of economics at Chung-Ang University. Moon discussed the "Necessity of Labor-Friendly Responses" to AI's impact on labor markets and job structures. Choi presented findings from an analysis of Korea's AI Voucher Program, suggesting that AI adoption could negatively affect new hires, particularly young workers and temporary staff, rather than overall employment or wages.

Discussions during the seminar, moderated by Professor Ahn Tae-hyun of Sogang University's Economics Department, delved into the nuances of AI's influence. Hyun Bo-hoon, a research fellow at the STEPI (Science and Technology Policy Institute), argued that AI's impact on jobs is not solely a technological shock but depends on the type of AI, its developmental stage, and government policy design. He stressed that AI expansion policies must be integrated with labor-friendly systems, including employment impact assessments, job transition support, and retraining programs.

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AI's impact on jobs is not solely a technological shock but depends on the type of AI, its developmental stage, and government policy design.

Jeon Hyun-bae, director of the Jiam Nam Duck-woo Economics Research Institute, evaluated the seminar as a meaningful session that diagnosed the multifaceted impacts of AI on labor markets and job structures, while discussing policy responses. He expressed hope that the event would serve as a catalyst for proactively addressing the evolving industrial and labor landscape driven by AI, fostering a balance between technological innovation and employment stability.

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AI adoption could negatively affect new hires, particularly young workers and temporary staff, rather than overall employment or wages.