Artificial intelligence (AI), especially the generative kind, has taken society by storm. Across the globe, surveys show that AI use is spreading rapidly and widely. People are scrambling to keep up as new tools and platforms appear almost by the minute. Businesses are on high alert to deploy AI quickly to remain productive and competitive. Schools are unsure what to teach students who can outsource their thinking and writing to AI systems. Workers worry about job security. Indeed, some of the most dominant public conversations today revolve around AI: how it is changing the world, and whether it will ultimately transform humanity for the better or undermine it.
I am not immune to this AI wave. My own use of AI has increased dramatically over the past year, and these tools have quietly become part of my daily routine. I find myself constantly searching for new applications that promise greater efficiency and productivity. Yet alongside these benefits, I have also noticed something else creeping in: anxiety, pressure and even burnout. The faster the tools evolve, the stronger the feeling that one must keep running simply to avoid falling behind. I suspect many people are experiencing the same emotional undercurrent.
When AI completes in seconds what once took us days or even months, we understandably feel a sense of awe. But that wonder is often mixed with something less comfortable: a feeling of being replaceable. Concerns about job loss due to AI are real. Many people are asking themselves what unique value they can still offer in a world where machines increasingly perform cognitive tasks once thought to be uniquely human. When we see others harness AI effectively and surge ahead in productivity, the pressure intensifies. The question becomes not only how to use these tools, but how to keep up at all.
So how do we stay sane amid this flood of ever-changing technological advances? I do not have a simple answer. The scale and speed of change are daunting even for those who study technology professionally. But one reasonable step may be to slow down and reflect on our psychological response to these developments. If everyone believes they must constantly keep up with every new AI breakthrough, the result is permanent anxiety, endless learning pressure and eventually professional burnout.
History offers some perspective. During the industrial and digital revolutions, societies experienced similar waves of disruption and uncertainty. Over time, technologies stabilized and became integrated into everyday life, though often after significant economic and political upheaval. When systems change rapidly, people cope best by focusing on what they can realistically control. Rejecting AI outright or longing for a return to the “good old days” is not productive. These technologies are already embedded across nearly every sector of society, and learning to understand and use them will remain important.
But being swept up in the technological race is not healthy either. One does not need to master every new development in computing and AI to function effectively in modern life. Instead, cultivating a small set of adaptable skills — critical thinking, judgment, creativity and the ability to learn continuously — may prove far more valuable than chasing every new tool that appears.
In the Korean context, slowing down and resisting constant comparison may be particularly important. Korean society has long been organized around visible and measurable benchmarks: test scores, university rankings, salaries and even apartment sizes. In environments where identity is closely tied to measurable achievements, technological disruption can threaten not only economic stability but also personal self-worth. If people feel they must instantly adapt to every technological shift, the result is collective acceleration anxiety. We already see signs of this phenomenon. In Korea, AI hagwons — private tutoring academies teaching AI skills — are beginning to appear, with students flocking to them in hopes of staying competitive.
Yet the real challenge of the AI age may not be purely technological. It is social and philosophical. As machines grow more capable in tasks involving language, analysis and problem-solving, societies must rethink how they evaluate human contribution and dignity. If human worth continues to be measured only by speed, efficiency and productivity, AI will inevitably make many people feel inadequate. But if we broaden our understanding of value to include creativity, ethical judgment, social responsibility and meaningful human relationships, the picture looks different.
Ultimately, adapting to AI will require both individual reflection and collective conversation. Individuals must learn to use these tools without becoming psychologically overwhelmed by them. At the same time, societies must discuss how to manage technological change in ways that protect human well-being rather than simply accelerating competition. AI may transform many aspects of work and knowledge, but it should not be allowed to define the entirety of human worth.
Min Seong-jae ([email protected]) is a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University in New York.
Source: Korea Times News
