Labor Replaced by AI: Professor Lee Jin-woo’s New Book Questions the Meaning of Human Existence

When artificial intelligence (AI) replaces human labor, where should we seek the meaning of our lives? Professor Lee Jin-woo, through his new book A World Without Work, diagnoses a crisis extending beyond job losses to one of self-esteem and social belonging. The author highlights that labor provides more than a simple means of livelihood; it fosters self-esteem, a sense of achievement, and connection to society. Therefore, the disappearance of work is not merely about losing a monthly salary, but a crisis that shakes the sense of existence—the feeling of 'am I still a presence needed in this world?'

The book analyzes that rather than replacing entire professions, AI will transform the internal structure and value segments of tasks within jobs. The author points out that leisure resulting from automation could turn into an impulse for consumption rather than freedom. He states that if the profits generated by technological innovation are monopolized by a few platform companies and capital, the value of labor will weaken and asset inequality will widen.

The author emphasizes that what humans need after the end of labor is not the ability to compete with technology, but the power to convert freedom into meaningful activity.