Professor Choi Jae-boong: "AI Speed Regulation Theory is Temporary; Technological Advancement for Survival Will Not Stop"

As the "AI speed regulation theory," which calls for slowing down the pace of Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, emerges, an analysis has surfaced stating that technological advancement will never stop as it is intertwined with the human instinct for survival.

Appearing on the debate program "Let's Debate with the Man Who Reads the Economy" on the YouTube channel "The Man Who Explains the Economy (Kim Kwang-seok TV)," Professor Choi Jae-boong explained the recently emerging AI speed regulation theory through the lens of human historical experience and biological perspectives. In the video, Professor Choi predicted that the development of AI technology will continue according to the human desire to adapt to the environment, rather than being halted by the intentions or risk theories of specific forces.

"Humans have survived through environmental adaptation"... The irreversibility of technological advancement

Professor Choi emphasized that humans, as biological beings, have survived through environmental adaptation. He explained that when smartphones first appeared, despite concerns regarding side effects such as addiction, there was a significant difference between using and not using smartphones from the perspective of survival, so humanity ultimately had no choice but to accept the technology.

He also explained the spread of technology using historical examples. Just as humanity did not restrain itself despite the dangers accompanied by the emergence of tools like firearms or ironware, he analyzed that while current discussions regarding AI may manifest as speed regulation theory, it will ultimately follow an unstoppable flow. Professor Choi added that from this perspective, the competition for AI hegemony is directly linked to the survival issues of nations, making it a competition that is difficult to stop.

The gap between AI companies based on financial power and economic logic

"Financial power" was identified as a variable that determines the speed of AI industry development. Professor Choi analyzed that some of those advocating for AI speed regulation theory might be companies that are not in a comfortable financial position. On the other hand, companies with massive funds like NVIDIA, or big tech companies with abundant capital such as Meta, MS, and Google, are unlikely to stop technological development in order to gain an advantage in the competition.

In particular, he explained that from the standpoint of big tech companies, if a competitor becomes a threat through technological advancement, they will rather join the technological flow or attempt to maintain dominance based on their capital rather than leaving it alone. Consequently, he presented an economic outlook that companies with sufficient capital are highly likely to reorganize the top tier of the AI industry, while companies that are not supported by performance may fall behind.

Views on AI's will and the theory of threat to humans

Regarding concerns that AI could surpass humans or possess a will to threaten humans, Professor Choi expressed a negative view. He mentioned that there have been no reported cases of AI developing its own will like a human, and stated that he does not agree with the logic that AI intends to attack or eliminate humans.

Using the example of nuclear weapons development, he explained that even if one tries to stop development due to the dangers of the technology, the technology eventually undergoes a process of spreading. He emphasized that AI development is also an extension of this technological flow, and the key lies in how humanity utilizes and adapts to the technology.

Meanwhile, in relation to his recently published book "Choi Jae-boong's AI Trends 2027," Professor Choi stated that he publishes a new book every year summarizing new trends to convey rapidly changing AI trends to his students every year. He also mentioned that the demand for education on survival strategies in the AI era is very high, noting that AI-related classes conducted at Sungkyunkwan University are closing with more applicants than the capacity due to high student interest.

Source: original video (YouTube)