The Future of Work and Learning in the AI Era

As generative AI rapidly expands, job displacement is becoming a reality. The impact is particularly severe on new hires and junior roles, leading to growing challenges for younger generations—an issue observed not only in Korea but across the globe. In contrast, skilled workers are benefiting from AI, achieving higher productivity with its support. This uneven distribution of the gains and costs of technological progress across generations raises serious concerns: in the short term, it may suppress youth employment, and in the long term, it risks dismantling the pathways for skill development—effectively “kicking away the ladder.”

 This transformation is not limited to white-collar work. Complex professional roles—such as those of lawyers, developers, and accountants—are being broken down into task-based units, with routine, standardized, and repetitive work rapidly automated. At the same time, advancements in physical AI, combined with robotics, are extending job displacement concerns into manufacturing, driving a broad restructuring of both knowledge and manual labor. AI is now automating not only explicit knowledge but also parts of tacit knowledge, fundamentally reshaping the division of labor, accountability structures, and even the definition of expertise.

 However, technological adoption does not automatically lead to job loss. Historically, the impact of new technologies on the labor market has been shaped by societal choices—such as institutional protections, collective labor power, education and training systems, and social safety nets. The key question, therefore, is not “What can AI do?” but rather “What should AI be allowed and designed to do?” At the heart of the debate lies how we redefine the distribution of rules, responsibilities, authority, and rewards.

 The Korean government has set a national goal of becoming one of the world’s top three AI powers, accelerating both development and adoption. As AI’s influence expands across industry, education, and social policy, literacy and lifelong learning are no longer optional—they are essential for survival. At this critical juncture—where opportunity and uncertainty intersect—there is an urgent need for new rules and social agreements that protect pathways for younger generations, rebuild skill pipelines, and ensure that the benefits of technological innovation are broadly shared.

 Now in its fifth year, the Human & Digital Forum will focus on the theme “The Future of Work and Learning in the Age of AI.” The forum serves as a platform for public dialogue, exploring the skills and learning required for citizens to navigate future changes, as well as the responsibilities of governments and corporations. Together with leading global thinkers, we aim to examine the choices our society must make across labor markets, education, industry, and technology governance.