The Era of Invisible Barriers
If the wars of the past divided the world with large missiles and high barbed wire, today’s wars are quietly happening behind the smartphones in our hands and the monitors in front of us. Invisible semiconductor circuits and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are erecting new barriers.
Modern technology is a wonderful ’tool’ that gifts us infinite possibilities, but it also serves as a sharp ‘weapon’ that can divide the world and compete for power. Let’s delve into this vast and quiet change through the story of planner ‘Min-jun’, who is preparing for an international conference in Seoul in 2025.
Part 1: The Heart of AI, the Beginning of Every Story
Long before Min-jun’s project began on her desk, an invisible war was already underway behind the scenes. It was a battle over the ‘heart’ of the two AIs that Min-jun would use, namely the semiconductors.
The United States has blocked the cutting-edge AI semiconductors made by NVIDIA from reaching China. The idea was to cut off the supply of the essential ‘food’ that makes AI smart, thereby slowing the growth of Chinese AI. Conversely, China has not ceased its desperate efforts to achieve the best performance with limited resources.
The outcome of this fierce hardware war has created the distinct personalities and capabilities of the two AIs that Min-jun will experience.
Part 2: One User, Two Worlds
Min-jun’s task was to successfully host an international biotech conference in Seoul. For this massive project, she decided to hire two very special AI assistants. One was the latest American AI model ‘Astra’, and the other was the AI ‘Wenxin (文心) 4.0’ from China’s largest search engine.
#Scene 1: The Moment Inspiration is Needed, Partner ‘Astra’
In the first stage of planning, when the blank page loomed large, Min-jun quietly called out to Astra.
“Astra, could you draft a conference concept outline on the theme of ‘Connections of Life’? I hope it’s something very new and resonates with people’s hearts. Also, please include a promotional video script and stage design proposal.”
How many seconds passed? Amazing results began to unfold on Min-jun’s screen. Astra didn’t just list information; it created an emotional narrative titled ‘The Journey of Life Beginning from the Mother’s River’. Based on this story, a poetic video script, a dynamic stage design resembling a whale swimming in the ocean, and even a sample of a dreamy melody that could serve as background music appeared before her eyes in an instant.
“Wow… this is beyond what I imagined.”
Astra was ‘an inspiring creative partner’ for Min-jun. It was a powerful ’tool of creation’ that allowed human ideas to soar beyond the limits of reality.
#Scene 2: The Moment Reality Hits, Problem Solver ‘Wenxin 4.0’
The fantastic concept was complete, but now it was time for the complex realities. Min-jun had to safely invite 20 researchers from the Shanghai branch to Seoul. Airplane tickets, hotels, visa issues, local transportation… just thinking about it made her head hurt, so she immediately switched to Wenxin 4.0.
“Wenxin, please arrange round-trip flights and hotel reservations for 20 researchers from the Shanghai branch according to the conference schedule. Handle it within company regulations, and for those who need visa issuance, please book the consulate appointments for the earliest dates.”
Wenxin’s response was short and concise. “Processing.” And just 2-3 minutes later, a report appeared on Min-jun’s screen with everything resolved. All 20 flight seats and KTX seats were booked, and even the interview schedules for 5 visa applicants were arranged. It even analyzed past travel records to reflect individual seat preferences (window or aisle) and recommended dinner options for vegetarians.
Wenxin was ’the perfect executor solving problems’. Connected to all the city’s systems, it was a powerful ’tool of efficiency’ that solved complex real-world issues without any minor errors.
The Future That Will Be Our Choice
Thanks to her collaboration with the two AIs, Min-jun smoothly completed the conference preparations and suddenly fell into thought. Without Astra, such creative planning would never have started, and without Wenxin, all of this execution would have turned into a terrible nightmare.
Her experience might be a small microcosm of the ‘divided AI world’ we will face in the future.
- The American-centric AI will become a friend that inspires us with amazing creativity, elevating individual creativity and freedom of expression.
- The Chinese-centric AI will become a solver that makes our lives incredibly convenient by maximizing the efficiency and convenience of society as a whole.
This is not just a difference in technology but a philosophical difference regarding which values we prioritize. Will we prioritize individual freedom of imagination, or will we first take care of the stability and efficiency of society as a whole? At the end of this quiet new cold war, we may have to walk a tightrope between the two worlds, just like Min-jun.
This powerful AI can be the best ’tool’ for all of us. But at the same time, it can also become an invisible ‘weapon’ that imposes specific values and systems.
What kind of AI assistant would you like to have in the future? That choice will determine the shape of the world we will live in.
