“I will cultivate AI leaders with virtues”
The president of a South Korean university emphasizes the importance of AI leaders who possess communication skills and ethical values in the evolving job market influenced by artificial intelligence.
In the age where artificial intelligence (AI) assists in finding answers, education leaders are reconsidering the qualities needed in future professionals. Traditionally, hiring criteria have focused on educational background and knowledge, but with the rise of AI, there is a growing consensus that future workers will require strong communication skills to collaborate with machines. The demand is shifting toward individuals who can express their thoughts freely while prioritizing ethics, morals, and public interest, moving away from rote memorization to a more nuanced understanding of societal responsibilities.
Min Jae-hong, the newly appointed president of Sookmyung Women's University, highlighted the urgent need for educational reform in light of AI and digital transformation. In his plans, he aims to create an AI-based university that balances technological efficiency with human values, emphasizing the principles of ethics, public good, responsibility, and human dignity. This approach is outlined in his guiding philosophy of 'X+AI,' which maintains that AI should serve as a tool to enhance the core competency of each academic discipline rather than the other way around, aligning with the school's founding principles of self-reliance and self-awareness.
As president, Min is focused on rapidly assessing the impediments in educational and administrative processes and addressing student concerns. He is particularly keen on implementing an AI-driven, personalized platform that integrates various aspects of student life, from course registration to career counseling, ensuring that educational innovations lead to tangible employment opportunities. This approach not only aims to innovate the curriculum across all majors by incorporating AI but also to foster the development of 'virtuous AI leaders' who can thrive in a rapidly changing job landscape and meet the ethical challenges of the future.