Many people envision a ’tech talent’ as a genius developer typing countless lines of code in a dark room, much like a scene from a movie. Of course, such individuals are undoubtedly heroes of our time. However, in an era where technology permeates every aspect of our lives, is that really the only type of talent we need?
We must ask whether there are ‘people’ who deeply contemplate the impact of technology on humanity alongside those who create powerful ’tools’ and ‘weapons’ of technology. Today, we will seek answers to this question through two short stories.
First Story: The Meeting of a Grandmother’s ‘Smart Farm’ and a Young Humanities Student
In a rural village, there was a grandmother who had lived her whole life with the soil. Thanks to a ‘smart farm’ kit gifted by her children, she could now control the temperature and humidity of her fields and even water them with just her smartphone. Technology alleviated her hard labor and allowed her to harvest tastier tomatoes.
However, the grandmother faced a new dilemma. The smartphone app’s interface was filled with difficult terms, and the data graphs were overly complex. While technology was certainly convenient, it felt cold and unfriendly in some way. She also felt guilty about calling her children in the city every time a problem arose.
At that moment, a young man who had returned to the village to farm came to visit her. He was not a computer science major but a humanities student studying history and philosophy. Instead of writing code, he listened attentively to the grandmother’s stories about her life and farming process.
The young man contacted the developer to explain the grandmother’s difficulties. “Wouldn’t ‘The tomatoes are thirsty’ resonate more with her than ‘Optimal humidity increased by 3%’?” His suggestion brought about a remarkable change. The app’s language was transformed into familiar terms for the grandmother, and the complex graphs were replaced with cute images of the sun, clouds, and raindrops.
Now, the grandmother viewed the smart farm not as a ‘cold and difficult machine’ but as a ‘reliable worker that communicates well.’
This story tells us an important truth: to advance technology, we need not only outstanding developers but also ’translators’ who can bridge the gap between technology and people. The ability to understand and empathize with human hearts and guide technology in a warmer and more beneficial direction is what defines the core talent of the new era—those who understand the ‘human aspect of technology.’
Second Story: The Best Firefighter Missed by the ‘AI Interviewer’
Here is a veteran firefighter who has saved countless lives while navigating fire scenes for decades. After retiring, he applied to a company that creates educational programs for young people aspiring to become firefighters. His rich experience and wisdom were worth more than any textbook.
However, this company entrusted the entire hiring process to a cutting-edge ‘AI (Artificial Intelligence) interviewer.’ The AI interviewer analyzed the applicant’s facial expressions, tone of voice, and choice of words to evaluate ’leadership,’ ‘problem-solving ability,’ and ‘stress management skills’ numerically.
The veteran firefighter calmly shared his experiences in a steady voice. Even in the terrifying moments at the crossroads of life and death, he recounted how he maintained his composure and led his colleagues.
However, the AI interviewer’s evaluation was cold. “Lack of enthusiasm due to minimal tone variation,” “Low expressiveness due to absence of exaggerated facial expressions or gestures.” Ultimately, the AI failed to measure his core competencies of ‘calmness in crisis situations’ and ‘insight gained from numerous experiences,’ resulting in his rejection.
What if a human had been there instead? Wouldn’t they have discovered the true ‘hero’ in his gaze, his calm voice, and the weight of his story?
This story simultaneously shows us the limitations of technology and the role of humanity. While data and algorithms are efficient, they can sometimes overlook the depth and value of human experience that cannot be expressed in numbers. The role of designing and overseeing technology, constantly questioning and addressing the ethical and social issues that arise from those decisions, ultimately belongs to humans. This is why ethicists, sociologists, and psychologists must collaborate with AI developers to ponder ‘what values to embed in AI.’
Our Story: Asking People for the Future of Technology
The question posed by the two stories shared today, regarding the ’talent gap,’ does not simply mean that there is a shortage of people who can code well. It is closer to a cry for the lack of individuals who can steer technology towards humanity, ensuring that it makes our society warmer and more prosperous.
Just as the warm empathy of the humanities student completed the grandmother’s smart farm, and the veteran firefighter’s experience could complement the cold judgment of AI, our future will only be fulfilled when knowledge and experiences from various fields respect and cooperate with one another.
While technology is advancing at an astonishing pace, it is ultimately up to us ‘humans’ to determine its destination. No matter what field you study or what work you do, there is undoubtedly a role that only you can fulfill in this technological era. That is the task of filling in the ‘human aspect’ of technology.
You are the true ’talent’ that this era has been waiting for.