[2023 Women’s Forum] Professor Kim Dae-sik: "The Year ChatGPT Made Mass Production of Intellectual Labor Possible"

Keynote Speech at Asia Economy's '2023 Women Leaders Forum'
First-ever Data Conversation in Human History with Generative AI
Experts Must Verify Mass-Produced Ideas

Professor Dae-Shik Kim of KAIST attended the '2023 Women Leaders Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 24th. After delivering the keynote speech, he had a conversation with writer Jisoo Kim. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Professor Daesik Kim of the Department of Electrical Engineering at KAIST said on the 24th, "By integrating generative artificial intelligence (AI), humanity will be able to converse with data for the first time in history," adding, "It will enable data analysis in ways we have never been able to do before."

At the '2023 Asia Economy Women Leaders Forum' held at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul, he predicted, "The biggest change will be in Excel." Professor Kim delivered a keynote speech titled 'Changes and Opportunities in the Era of Generative AI,' explaining the transformations brought about by generative AI such as Chat GPT, Gen-1, and Gen-2.

He particularly highlighted Microsoft's (MS) continuous investment in productivity software, aimed at solving the 'productivity paradox.' While manufacturing productivity steadily increased in the 20th century through 'factory automation' and the like, non-manufacturing productivity remained stagnant because intellectual labor by humans was not automated.

For example, if it took Tolstoy six years to write "War and Peace," even if he were given the most advanced computer, it would be impossible to write the work in six minutes. Professor Kim said, "Machines could not enhance human intellectual abilities, but generative AI solves this problem," adding, "If it enables automation of tasks that have seen no progress for 50 years, new business opportunities will undoubtedly emerge."

However, he believes that while mass production can be done by machines, experts with specialized knowledge are still necessary. Citing an experiment from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Kim explained that human-generated ideas tend to be average?not particularly good or bad?while machines can produce both very good and very strange ideas. He emphasized, "When discussing the future of labor, it is efficient for machines to handle mass production, but experts should verify and select the ideas mass-produced by machines."

Professor Kim described Chat GPT as a kind of 'signal.' Whereas previously only experts used AI, thanks to Chat GPT, general consumers can now experience AI. He said, "This is an era where intellectual labor can be mass-produced, and this year is the first to demonstrate that potential," forecasting, "In the next one to two years, many ideas will be generated by consumers, and companies that catch and commercialize these ideas first will rise in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.