People For Earth

On April 30, 2026, the first lecture of the People for Earth AI Special Lecture Series, "Two Paths of the 21st Century: The Climate Crisis and AI," was held. Hwang Su-young, former professor of Liberal Arts at Hongik University, delivered a lecture on the topic "Transcendence or Catastrophe? The Two Faces of AI Technology." Professor Hwang defined artificial intelligence not merely as a tool, but as the latest stage of technological civilization that reshapes human bodies, minds, and social organizations, highlighting the history and philosophical significance of technological progress. She explained that since the Industrial Revolution, the fusion of science and technology has fundamentally altered the form of human life, and today, AI has reached a stage where it replaces and expands human intellectual activities beyond merely assisting physical functions. Furthermore, introducing both optimistic and pessimistic views on technological development, she emphasized the importance of reflecting on the relationship between humans and technology, transcending a simple dichotomy of whether AI will lead humanity toward transcendence or catastrophe.

Professor Hwang then presented ethical challenges for the AI era based on the philosophy of technology by Lewis Mumford and Henri Bergson. She pointed out that while technology can serve as a means to expand human freedom and creativity, it can also pose social risks if used to strengthen massive organizations and control systems. In particular, she stressed that the future of artificial intelligence depends on human values and social choices rather than the technology itself, and that technology must be guided to contribute to human life based on an open society and love for humanity. This lecture provided a meaningful opportunity to reflect on human-centered contemplation and the responsible use of technology needed in the AI era.

On May 14, Professor Kim Hong-gee, Director of the Big Data Innovation Convergence University Project at Seoul National University, gave the second special lecture titled "The Future of Technology and Humanity." Professor Kim examined the development process of artificial intelligence through the historical flow of philosophy, logic, and computer science, explaining that AI has established itself as a key driving force transforming human thought and society beyond simple technology. Tracing the history of AI development from Aristotle's logic to Turing, Shannon, cybernetics theory, expert systems, and deep learning, he fascinatingly unpacked the possibilities of reasoning and creativity demonstrated by generative AI today, as well as its "black box" nature that humans do not yet fully understand.

Professor Kim also distinguished AI into a rule-based, knowledge-centered approach and a data-based, learning-centered approach, emphasizing that recent AI technology is approaching human-level problem-solving capabilities. At the same time, he stated that AI is not an all-powerful tool that can solve every problem, and that human value judgments, creativity, and interaction with complex environments remain crucial domains. This special lecture received enthusiastic responses by conveying a message that citizens living in the AI era must properly understand the meaning of technological advances and prepare for a future where humans and technology coexist in harmony.

The People for Earth AI Special Lecture Series will continue with its third lecture on August 26. Kim Byung-kwon, Director of the Green Transition Institute, will present on the topic "AI and the Climate Crisis: Legal and Institutional Tasks for 'Green AI'," exploring the correlation between AI technological development and the climate crisis, and seeking legal and institutional responses for a sustainable AI society.