The More AI Takes Over Work, the More Precious Human Effort Becomes: Song Gil-Young’s Forecast for a New Era

[Financial News] "The department head is not my customer. My customers are the people who buy the services and products we create."
In an era when artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over people’s work, writer Song Gil-Young has focused on the value of human effort. At a press conference on the 16th at Pilwon in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, Seoul, marking the publication of 'The Era Forecast: The Time of the Industrious Human Race' (Kyobo Book Centre), he emphasized the expertise required to create what customers need firsthand.■ From 'copy humans' to 'the industrious human race'This is his fourth era forecast, following 'The Core Individual,' 'The Society That Calls Us by Name,' and 'The Lightweight Civilization.' The book explores life in an age when organizations are becoming smaller and individual capabilities are expanding. The industrious human race refers to people who leave unnecessary hardship to technology, devote time to work they consider meaningful, and take responsibility for the results.
By 'copy humans,' he means replaceable beings who follow manuals and prescribed roles. 'Original humans,' by contrast, build their own experience and judgment to create results that are difficult to replicate. Song predicted that the value of originals will rise as AI makes it easier to produce copies.
The industrious human race has one additional condition: reciprocity, in which one’s achievements benefit others. Song explained that it encompasses not only the uniqueness of original humans but also relationships in which people appreciate and reward the results. In other words, what matters is how people use the time saved by technology and with whom they share the results.
He also believes that standards for work within organizations are changing. In an era when people can obtain necessary information themselves, the role of preparing reports will shrink, while the ability to meet customers directly and understand their needs will become more important.
He illustrated the value of effort by comparing mass-produced ice cream with carefully made gelato, for which people pay different prices. The point, he said, is that the maker’s skill and care are complemented by the consumer’s discernment in recognizing them. "It also takes effort to recognize effort," he added.
■ Emphasizing skills and experience to put one’s name on the lineThe practical principles are to do the work oneself, publish it, and put one’s name on it. The message is to present one’s own creations to the world and leave both the achievement and the process under one’s name. He viewed the process of consistently producing results and growing, rather than achieving a single success, as evidence of effort.
He also emphasized frequent new beginnings: stepping outside the conventional path of finding a job and retiring at predetermined ages to try new work at various points in life.
He also urged people to build their skills before promoting themselves. "It becomes dangerous if you try to promote yourself before building your capabilities," he said, warning against rushed personal branding.
These changes also raise the question of who will provide opportunities to develop expertise. During the question-and-answer session, a reporter asked whether a decline in entry-level hiring could eliminate opportunities to gain experience and expertise through repetitive work.
Song replied that no clear solution has yet emerged. He said education, workplaces, and society must discuss how to support opportunities for people to gain experience. He also noted that social support is needed to expand access to information and broaden opportunities for experience in order to reduce disparities that may arise as people develop originality.
He introduced the book as a 'long-term forecast' for an individual’s long journey and asked readers to pass it on to someone close after finishing it. He said he hoped people could gain courage from the trials, errors, and overcoming of difficulties experienced by others facing similar challenges. 320 pages, 22,000 won.

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