Part 5 | The Most Promising AI Industries for the 100-Year-Life Era

Series Overview

Part 6. Designing Happiness in the Age of Human–AI Coexistence

By Im Byung-min (IBM), Columnist

AI is expected to play a major role in extending human life. Advances in drug discovery, early diagnosis and personalized treatment could help prevent and treat diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia.

If the “100-year-life era” refers to the point at which life expectancy at birth reaches 100, however, that future remains some distance away. South Korea’s current life expectancy is approximately 84 years, and UN projections suggest it could reach 100 around 2095, roughly 69 years from now. Progress in AI-driven aging research and the development of new treatments could bring that milestone forward. Yet the point I wish to emphasize is that, before focusing on how long we may live, we should be deeply grateful to the Creator for the gift of being born human and living this day in good health.

AI has become a core technology reshaping the structure of industry and society. Its applications extend across manufacturing, finance, healthcare, education, defense, automotive and energy, creating opportunities for multiple sectors to advance together. Which industries, then, hold the greatest promise in the AI era? Among the most notable are AI semiconductors and data centers, robotics and humanoids, biotechnology and drug development, energy, and AI software.

AI requires enormous computing power. As generative AI and autonomous agents become more widely deployed, the volume of data that must be processed and stored will continue to grow, increasing demand for high-performance semiconductors and data centers. GPUs and AI accelerators will be joined by High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), advanced packaging, servers, networking equipment and data-center cooling systems as critical parts of the AI economy. Companies developing AI services will attract attention, but those supplying the underlying infrastructure could also secure significant long-term opportunities.

Robotics is another promising sector. If AI emulates human intelligence, robots allow that intelligence to operate in the physical world. Robots have traditionally performed repetitive, predefined tasks in factories, but newer systems can perceive their surroundings, assess situations and determine how to complete tasks independently. Humanoid robots offer a particular advantage because their human-like form allows them to operate in factories and logistics facilities designed around people. Their use is expected to expand beyond manufacturing into logistics, construction, agriculture, services and the home. In countries facing population decline and rapid aging, robots will become increasingly valuable as a means of addressing labor shortages.

The convergence of AI and biotechnology is equally important. Drug development has traditionally required substantial time and investment, but AI can analyze vast volumes of life-science data to identify drug candidates, predict protein structures and support the development of new treatments. More precise analysis of diseases, genes and proteins could make the drug-development process considerably more efficient. AI can also accelerate precision medicine by using an individual’s genetic information and lifestyle data to identify suitable treatments. Because it can directly affect human health and longevity, the convergence of AI and biotechnology offers substantial long-term growth potential.

Energy forms the foundation of every industry. Semiconductors and software are often regarded as the central industries of the AI era, but the electricity required to support them is rising rapidly. Large-scale data centers operate around the clock and consume enormous amounts of power, making a stable and affordable electricity supply essential. This will increase the importance of nuclear power, renewable energy, energy storage systems, power grids, transformers and cooling technologies. As AI data centers proliferate, the challenge will extend beyond building additional power plants to transmitting and using electricity reliably and efficiently. The growth of AI could therefore reshape the broader energy industry.

AI software and autonomous agents also deserve close attention. Generative AI is progressing beyond answering questions and drafting documents toward performing real business functions. AI systems could increasingly analyze corporate data, prepare reports, communicate with customers, develop software and automate repetitive work with less direct human instruction. When integrated with enterprise systems, these agents could deliver significant productivity gains. This explains why AI adoption is accelerating across knowledge-intensive fields such as finance, law, accounting, marketing, customer service and software development.

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