First article - Why I founded the Youth AI Future Institute

Agents will inevitably arise, and with the rapid advancement of AI, an unprecedentedly competitive and innovative landscape will emerge and the signs for it are becoming increasingly evident. This progress will lead us toward an era of full human-AI coevolution which this institute revolves around. Therefore, instead of racing to develop more advanced systems quicker than the competing company or country—often compromising their security and alignment—the global society and industry must pause and reflect. Many developers and people joining the “AI product/SaaS building trend” ignore, if not, do not fully understand the broader societal and humanistic consequences of their actions. Their pursuit of attention, profit, and relevance in the AI trend often becomes another step, another brick, in building a future where society risks losing its purpose, direction, perspective, and happiness through the loss of humanness and overwhelming shift that is challenging to adapt and accommodate to. One by one, it contributes to making AI not a precious, once in a mankind-life time invention but a risky weapon.

It is true that this transformation is unlike any past revolutions such as the Industrial Revolution or the Age of Enlightenment. What we face now is something novel, unfamiliar, and significantly larger in scale. AI represents a new form of technology—indeed, a new type of existence-threatening intelligence or an “agent,” as many experts, such as Yuval Noah Harari and Geoffrey Hinton, among others. Yet, there are parallels with smaller but visible social phenomena, such as the way youth culture on social media chases trends, often to the detriment of mental and social well-being. This is driven by negative collectivist pressures, constant comparison, competition, and a deep need for acceptance, resembling the current circumstance of the AI industry, which is just more significant in its effect.

Anyways, the central issue lies in a blind race driven by competition and mistrust. It reflects a uniquely human, yet simultaneously wicked and pernicious tendency trying to greedily and opportunistically “seal the deal” before anybody takes their place. In short, we are developing a society where we utilize our uniquely human traits not the way it was intended for by emphasizing the negative traits caused by our intellect like distrust, greed and egoism—we are paradoxically using our own humanness against ourselves.

We continue to be impressed by large language models and digital tools that can work and replace many tasks, while the majority of citizens—those outside the AI industry—remain unaware of the associated risks. This short-term focus could result in long-term discontent, a resurgence or backfire of the desire for human-led work, or serious consequences stemming from seemingly small AI errors. As ethical challenges—understood deeply by only a few—begin to shape everyday life, the absence of mental, regulatory, and social readiness could lead to a societal crisis within a few decades.

This is why I founded this institute. Not to manipulate, promote hype, or blindly support the unchecked growth of misaligned AI focused solely on capabilities and metrics of new LLMs or vibe-coding softwares. Our purpose is to make a real impact—realigning societal priorities and reinforcing core human values. Our goal is to help not only AI professionals but the broader public adapt gradually and beforehandly to this transformation. This approach will allow us to unlock AI’s potential while intentionally shaping a future where humans and AI work in harmony, maximizing both strengths while respecting the journey and the sacrifices involved. Remember, it is a big change that requires such preparatory effort. I’d argue “With great innovation comes great effort and diligence.”

This principle of human-AI coevolution is the core of my ongoing research and mission. We are not merely proposing or educating—we are working to bring this vision to life in our surrounding and global communities. Our aim is to engage individuals, organizations, and policymakers at all levels. Most importantly, we seek to spark a new culture perfect for achieving the envisioned coevolution and lead a movement of rehumanization, a vital step in ensuring that collaboration with AI enhances every aspect of society.

Through these efforts, we strive to prepare, inspire, and help plan the future of our civilization—the kind of future we all hope to live in, grow with, and evolve in. A future that reawakens (or brings the renaissance of) the essence of humanness while embracing AI as a collaborative partner, forming a new model of civilization built on teamwork and shared growth.

Let us not allow our precious human gifts to ruin us. Instead, let us demonstrate our capabilities’ true strength and fulfill the purpose we were given by providence.

July 1st, 2025