[INTERVIEW] Why Korea University is nurturing critical thinkers to prepare for AI era

Korea College President Kim Dong-one speaks throughout an interview with The Korea Instances on the fundamental constructing of the college’s campus in Seongbuk District, Seoul, April 9. Korea Instances photograph by Shim Hyun-chul

As synthetic intelligence (AI) quickly reshapes lecture rooms and analysis, universities are being referred to as to redefine their function — not as passive adopters of expertise, however as establishments that domesticate people able to utilizing AI as a device whereas safeguarding human dignity and mental autonomy.

Korea College unveiled “Subsequent Intelligence” as its core imaginative and prescient to mark its one hundred and twentieth anniversary final yr and has continued to advance the idea since. It frames intelligence as a partnership between people and AI, working collectively to reinforce and lengthen one another’s capabilities reasonably than compete for dominance.

“The core mission of college training is not merely to ship data,” Korea College President Kim Dong-one informed The Korea Instances in a latest interview. “It’s to satisfy the function of a Subsequent Intelligence College — one which teaches what AI can’t exchange: tips on how to ask significant questions and the way to decide on values.”

He emphasised that the rise of AI presents each new alternatives and basic challenges for universities.

“The present second requires greater training to reexamine and reply a extra fundamental query — why universities exist within the first place, as merely delivering data is not sufficient to outline their function.”

Kim pointed to the dearth of enough dialogue and preparation for what might come after AI advances to a degree akin to human capabilities.

In response, he outlined two key roles for universities within the AI period.

Kim stated that whereas it’s inevitable for establishments to advance cutting-edge applied sciences by supporting analysis in AI-related fields, he harassed that an equally — if no more — essential function lies in strengthening training within the humanities and social sciences.

Korea College President Kim Dong-one delivers a speech throughout the college’s one hundred and twentieth anniversary ceremony at its campus in Seongbuk District, Seoul, Might 2025. Courtesy of Korea College

Below its Subsequent Intelligence College imaginative and prescient, Korea College is shifting to combine AI throughout training, analysis and college administration.

“The aim is to domesticate expertise that may make the very best use of AI — to show college students tips on how to use it successfully,” Kim stated.

He added that even in an AI-driven setting, a powerful basis of fundamental data stays important, noting that such fundamentals allow college students to make use of AI extra productively and finally produce higher-quality outcomes.

Accordingly, the college locations emphasis on constructing core data and instructing basic ideas within the first and second years. From there, it goals to shift towards an training mannequin that focuses on making use of that data and leveraging AI in additional superior studying.

As well as, to domesticate people able to safeguarding human dignity in a quickly altering period, the college is making vital investments within the humanities and social sciences.

Whereas many universities are ramping up funding in AI-related engineering fields, the college has sought to stability that push by equally strengthening the humanities and social sciences packages, hiring round 100 new school members in these fields over the previous three years. It has additionally begun building of a brand new humanities constructing — the primary such mission amongst main universities in since 2012.

“This displays our dedication to putting the examine of humanity — what AI can’t exchange — on the heart of the college’s priorities,” Kim stated.

A screenshot reveals Korea College’s “Subsequent Intelligence” imaginative and prescient. Courtesy of Korea College

He harassed that the function of universities going ahead will not be merely to maintain tempo with technological change, however to assist set the worth frameworks that information its route.

“The federal government and corporations every have roles in responding to quick challenges and the near-term future,” Kim stated. “Universities, whereas considerably distanced from society, observe the way it operates and establish rising issues. We function a mirror reflecting society whereas nurturing expertise for the long run — a job that can develop into much more essential within the AI period.”

Consistent with this imaginative and prescient, the college is positioning fundamental educational disciplines as a core asset to be protected, whereas strengthening an training mannequin that emphasizes interdisciplinary, problem-solving approaches.

As a part of this effort, it has launched a Drawback-Primarily based Seminar for freshmen, designed to encourage college students to outline complicated international challenges on their very own and discover options from a number of views.

The college has additionally institutionalized platforms such because the Subsequent Intelligence Discussion board and Subsequent Intelligence Seminar, bringing collectively main international students and creating alternatives for college kids to interact immediately with high thinkers and develop their mental horizons.

An aerial view of Korea College’s campus in Seoul’s Seongbuk District / Courtesy of Korea College

The widening hole between the tempo of technological development and moral discourse within the AI period can also be rising as a serious problem.

To handle this, the college emphasised that it’s systematizing training on AI ethics and literacy, after turning into the primary within the nation to determine AI utilization tips.

On the undergraduate degree, the college provides programs on AI’s moral points, societal influence and international regulatory developments. For graduate college students, the college is offering extra superior coaching centered on analysis ethics and the accountable use of the expertise.

On the analysis entrance, the college has established collaborative platforms such because the “AI Convergence Colloquium,” bringing collectively students from various disciplines, whereas persevering with proactive discussions on the potential dangers and moral implications of AI.

“I imagine the function of universities is to not stay on the degree of prohibition or regulation, however to current new requirements and fashions primarily based on accountable autonomy,” Kim stated.

Alongside the local weather disaster, pandemics and power depletion, AI associated points are rising as a worldwide problem — one which no single nation or establishment can handle alone.

“Know-how itself is impartial, however how people direct its improvement can result in vastly completely different outcomes. [In this sense,] AI additionally requires broader social and worldwide consensus on the way it ought to evolve,” Kim stated. “On this new period, universities ought to take a number one function in shaping the way forward for humanity within the age of AI.”