SK Group Chairman and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Chey Tae-won has said that the very definition of talent will change in the era of artificial intelligence, emphasizing that future competitiveness will depend on how effectively humans integrate and utilize AI systems.
Chey made the remarks in a special lecture aired on May 28 on KBS1TV’s documentary program “Documentary Insight – Talent War 2: Chey Tae-won’s Answer.” The program is a follow-up to last year’s widely discussed series on global talent competition.
“I believe we need to rethink what we should learn and what capabilities we should develop in a world where AI evolves faster than humans,” Chey said, adding that his views were shaped by extensive discussions with people working in AI industries and business collaborations.
Chey described the current AI transition as moving from “reasoning AI,” which responds to human prompts, toward “agentic AI,” which can independently make decisions and take actions.
He warned that the gap between those who actively use AI and those who do not will widen significantly, not only for individuals but also for companies and nations depending on how quickly they adopt AI technologies.
However, Chey added that in a longer-term scenario involving artificial general intelligence (AGI), the relative gap between individuals may narrow. He illustrated this with a hypothetical example where AGI raises everyone’s baseline capability, reducing disparities in relative performance.
Chey emphasized that future competitiveness will depend less on specific job titles and more on the ability to connect humans and AI across systems.
“In the future, what matters is not what profession you have, but how you combine and link humans and AI,” he said, arguing that “generalists” capable of designing systems across multiple domains will be more valuable than traditional “specialists.”
He also noted that AI adoption could lead to more “multi-job” careers and a gradual shift away from the traditional 9-to-6 employment structure.
Chey outlined four key competencies individuals should develop in response to AI-driven transformation: “thinking muscle,” “adaptability muscle,” “empathy muscle,” and “body skill.”
He said memorization and exam-oriented learning would increasingly be replaced by AI, making critical thinking and problem-definition skills more important. He also stressed adaptability in a rapidly changing environment, emotional intelligence as a uniquely human capability, and physical creativity through arts and sports as a form of human value creation.
Chey further argued that education systems must evolve into platforms where students learn to coexist with AI rather than simply receive information.
On a national level, Chey proposed that South Korea adopt a three-pillar strategy for becoming an “AI Nation”: Speed, Scale, and Safety.
He stressed the need to accelerate AI development, expand large-scale infrastructure investment, and establish regulatory frameworks that ensure safe and responsible use of AI technologies.
Chey also introduced broader policy concepts, including “AI Factory,” “AI for All,” and “AI City.” He described AI factories as essential infrastructure for producing AI systems, while “AI for All” aims to make AI accessible in everyday life across education, healthcare, and public services. “AI City,” he added, would function as a regulatory sandbox for testing new technologies and governance models.
During a Q&A session with the audience, Chey stressed the importance of expanding interest in science and engineering fields, noting that both domestic training and global talent attraction are essential to bridging the AI capability gap.
He concluded that AI talent should not be defined narrowly as engineering graduates, but rather as individuals capable of naturally using AI and coexisting with it in everyday life, calling for rapid adaptation in education and social systems.
