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Speakers at the third Hankyoreh Human and Digital Forum. From left to right: Abeba Birhane, Gary Marcus, Choi Yejin and Ted Chiang. 

An international gathering for exploring humanity’s relationship with technology, the third annual Hankyoreh Human and Digital Forum will be held this year on June 12. Under the theme “The AI Desiring to Go beyond Human: Can it Capture Even Human Values?” the forum will explore how, amid both excitement and fear surrounding the rise of artificial intelligence, humans and AI can coexist. 

Speaking at the event will be figures including Choi Yejin, professor at the University of Washington; award-winning American science fiction novelist Ted Chiang; Gary Marcus, professor of psychology and neural science at New York University; and Abeba Birhane, cognitive scientist at Trinity College Dublin. Choi, Chiang and Abeba were included in Time’s 2023 list of the “100 Most Influential People in AI.” 

Choi Yejin. (Hankyoreh file photo)

Keynote speaker Choi Yejin will discuss the “present and future of AI” and approach AI as something that possesses both “common sense and values.” When introducing Choi on his podcast, Bill Gates said that “few people are better at explaining the science of artificial intelligence than Yejin Choi.” During the forum, Choi will discuss South Korea’s AI ecosystem with Ha Jung-woo, the head of Naver’s Future AI Center.

Ted Chiang. (Photo credit: Alan Berner/Hankyoreh file photo) 

The forum’s second keynote speaker, Ted Chiang, is often referred to as one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. 

Chiang will be delivering a keynote speech on “artificial intelligence, artifice, and art” at the forum, with physicist and Sungkyunkwan University professor Kim Beom-jun leading a related discussion.

Gary Marcus. (Hankyoreh file photo)

Gary Marcus, a world-renowned cognitive scientist known for his books “Kluge” and “Rebooting AI,” will be the third keynote speaker, focusing on the topic “Beyond 'stronger AI' towards 'more humane AI.’”

Abeba Birhane. (Hankyoreh file photo)

Professor Abeba Birhane, who is currently a member of the UN AI Advisory Body, will be giving a keynote speech on the topic of “How does AI development led by Big Tech reproduce bias and inequality?” which will be followed by a discussion with Seoul National University philosophy of science professor Cheon Hyun-deuk.

Afterward, all four speakers will be taking part in a roundtable discussion led by KAIST professor Jeon Chi-hyung on the topic “The challenge of AI for all.”

The event will also include the Human Technology Awards, where examples of outstanding South Korean startups will be shared and honors presented to businesses using human-friendly technology.
 
Time and Date: Wednesday, June 12, 8:30 am–4 pm
Location: Grand Hall, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building, Seoul
Hosted by: Hankyoreh
Organized by: Hankyoreh Economy & Society Research Institute, Human Digital Research Institute
Inquiries: Human & Digital Forum Secretariat (02-2152-5054, 2024hdf.info@gmail.com)
Registration: Forum website (www.lifeindigitalforum.org)
English website: https://enhdf2024.imweb.me/