[Column] What kind of brain do we need in an age of uncertainty?

The world feels more unpredictable than ever. Economies around the globe are reeling from new U.S. tariff policies, military conflicts are escalating and triggering further international tensions, and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are shifting the realms of labor, production, and creation from human to machine. In this dizzyingly fast-paced world, anxiety and mental disruption are surging among young people, driven by deep uncertainty about how our world will change in the future. How should we live in such an unpredictable world?

I recently attended the 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, an international forum organized by the World Economic Forum. Often referred to as “Summer Davos,” the event serves as a seasonal counterpart to the Davos Forum held each winter in Switzerland. It gathers global leaders in politics, economics, society, culture, and science for multidisciplinary discussions on navigating an increasingly uncertain world. This year's theme, “Entrepreneurship for a New Era,” sparked vibrant conversations about building new systems in response to rapid and ongoing change.

First, there were varying perspectives on the impact AI technology will have on the world. One view held that the dominance of AI by the United States and China is so overwhelming that it will be difficult to challenge, and that, for the foreseeable future, innovation and conflict will continue to revolve around these two powers. On the other hand, some believed that AI could democratize access to education and information more than ever before, enabling new businesses and systems in regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa to emerge as drivers of global change.

Of particular interest is the global demographic shift expected over the next 20 years. While countries such as the U.S., China, South Korea, Japan, and those in Europe face rapidly aging populations, nations like India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Nigeria will see a surge in younger demographics, shifting the pendulum of innovation toward regions where youth make up the majority of the global population. It was also noted that cooperation and alliances beyond the U.S.-China axis will become increasingly important in addressing the race for AI supremacy -- and that Korea should play a key role as a bridge-builder, fostering international collaboration in AI technology.

I participated in two sessions: “Social Robots & I,” where I presented a talk titled “The Brain in the Future Era of AI,” and “Unlocking the New Brain Economy,” where I joined a panel discussion with experts from the U.S., China, and Qatar. Together, we explored the question: How can brain science contribute to the future of the AI era, and what new businesses might emerge based on advances in brain science?

Experts discussed that rising global divisions and conflicts stem, in part, from the absence of a new social system suited to the AI era. While the world is undergoing rapid technological change, systems for education, healthcare, and governance have yet to evolve accordingly -- making the disruption of this transitional period a significant source of instability. Although AI development is often viewed purely through a technological lens, there was broad consensus that the human response -- how we use AI and how we prepare our brains to coexist with it -- is just as critical. We agreed that the kind of brains needed in the AI era are not simply analytical, but empathetic and collaborative -- brains capable of fostering human connection. Humans have evolved as social beings who cannot thrive in isolation. In the age of AI, our survival and progress will depend on brain-to-brain connections that enable us to forge new paths and solve problems through collective intelligence.

Will the human brain come to embrace AI as an equal -- an entity with intelligence and consciousness comparable to our own -- or will the algorithmic nature of machine intelligence fundamentally reshape our thinking and make us increasingly dependent on AI? We don’t yet have the answer. But what is clear is the urgent need for a broader, more inclusive conversation about how we use AI -- one that places humans firmly at the center of the discussion.

Chang Dong-seon is the CEO of Curious Brain Lab and resides in Seoul. He studied Biology at Uni Konstanz, Neuroscience at the International Max Planck Research School, and Cognitive Science at Rutgers University. Chang's career includes roles as an Assistant Professor at Hanyang University and a Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics. He also served as the head of the Future Technology Strategy Team at Hyundai Motor Group. His extensive expertise spans biology, neuroscience, and cognitive science. This column was originally published in Segye Ilbo in Korean on July 9, 2025. -- Ed