◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 현 사회현상에 대해 학생들 시선에서 ‘왜’라는 질문을 갖고 직접 취재해 작성한 기획기사입니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단의 기획기사는 영문과 국문, 두 형태로 게재합니다. If you look at Instagram stories posted by teenagers these days, it’s easy to find expressions like “oemojeongbyeong om” or “eoltaegi eotteoghae.” So what do these terms mean? Both are new slang frequently used by teens on the internet and social media. “oemojeongbyeong” is a combination of the word for “appearance” and jeongbyeong, a shortened slang term meaning “someone who is mentally obsessed.” Meanwhile, “eoltaegi” is an abbreviated expression that refers to a “face slump” meaning a phase where someone suddenly feels tired of or dissatisfied with their own faces. Likewise, negative perceptions and self-dislike sentiments about appearance are growing among students in their daily lives, leading them to become obsessed and stressed because of their looks—underscoring one of today’s serious social issues. Worries about skin and diet… students say that taking care of looks is more stressful than studying. There are various parts of appearance that students feel dissatisfied with. According to the interview with an 8th grader from Branksome Hall Asia in Jeju and a 7th grader from Apgujeong Middle School in Seoul, stress caused by pimples and other skin troubles was the most common concern. Seyeong (15) answered the question, “What is your biggest source of stress these days?” by saying, “I get more stressed about my skin than about studying. I think about having clean skin every day. I always wear a mask or cover my forehead with my bangs as much as possible to hide my acne-prone skin. There were also many other teenagers who pointed to pimples and skin issues as their primary dissatisfaction. This suggests that skin problems among teens are not seen simply as appearance flaws, but uncontrollable factors that cause significant stress. Next, dissatisfaction with body shape ranked high after worries about skin. Some students who struggled with compulsive weight loss, repeating extreme diets and reacting anxiously even when their weight increased by as little, believed their bodies looked “unsightly”. Furthermore, stress extended to explicitly specific features such as the shape of the nose, the size of the face and eyes, and even the cheeks. Students who were interviewed shared that as their insecurities about appearance deepened, they naturally began comparing themselves with others, which lowered their confidence and made them feel misery. Although Yeongji Lee is young with the age of 15, has expressed, “My small eyes without double eyelids are a complex for me. I want to have a double eyelid surgery when I see my friend who has already done it.” Thereby, it becomes clear that many teenagers feel an ongoing urge to change particular facial features with the growing number of students expressing a hope for cosmetic surgery. Hiding Pimples and Seeking Whiter Skin…Students drawn into makeup As students become increasingly dissatisfied with their appearance, many start to wear makeup to conceal and remove what they perceive as flaws. While makeup can be useful if it helps build confidence and encourage a positive self-image, in reality it often brings more drawbacks. Jieun Kim (15) said, “Feeling uncomfortable going out with my bare face became part of my life, and I barely have confidence in my natural face.” Having a specific concern about her small pupils, she added, “I always wear color contact lenses whenever I go to school or hagwon. On days when I run out of lenses, I hesitate to leave the house.” Thus, students are shown to experience unnecessary emotional strain due to constant worries about how others might view them. Adults often ask, “Why do you wear makeup from such a young age?” However, appearance is considerably becoming a top priority among middle and high school students. Makeup provides clear advantages for teenagers. It boosts confidence and satisfaction, and students reported feeling noticeably better about their appearance after wearing it. Once they begin using makeup, the desire to look organized and pretty from the others’eyes often increases, creating a strong psychological effect that might even influence their mood for the day. On the other hand, its disadvantages are also clear. Heavy reliance on makeup can lead students to dislike their bare faces and become so obsessed that they feel unable to go outside without wearing it. Furthermore, makeup can make the skin more sensitive and cause irritation which leads to a bad cycle in which makeup use leads to more skin concerns. According to interviews, students who previously had few negativity about their faces replied feeling more bothered by minor flaws after starting makeup, showing a noticeable shift in mindset; thinking, “I need to be prettier,” compared to before. “Why am I so obsessed with makeup? To be honest…” Then, what would be the reason for the students to continue to be obsessed with their appearance? The biggest reason is that they want to get along well with people of a similar age. Teenagers most frequently talk about topics such as appearance and faces in their daily conversations or small talk. They recommend cosmetic products or share advice about how they could improve or revise their current makeup style to look even better while talking about cosmetics and makeup techniques. In addition to this, as beauty-related content on SNS gains popularity, people become easily exposed to information or images related to appearance. The bigger problem is that teenagers often evaluate a particular celebrity or idol’s appearance uploaded on social media platforms. They also judge and point out how pretty or handsome or chubby others are. This leads to behavior that places too much value on appearance and reinforces lookism among teenagers. In the interview, Hyejin Park (15) said, “I think Korean people have a strong belief in lookism,” adding that she felt this when people’s reactions or attitudes changed depending on how others looked. She also mentioned, “Topics about appearance and beauty with friends do not simply appear depending on the situation, but come up almost every day,” and added, “Since we are students in the middle of puberty and cosmetic and beauty products became more accessible than in the past, we become more obsessed with our looks.” This tendency becomes apparent when referring to students’ consumption patterns. Purchase of beauty-related products accounted for the most among teenagers’financial spending. Students mainly buy color contact lenses, various cosmetics, and skincare products. Their after-school routes were also fixed by heading to beauty specialty stores such as Olive Young or Olens. Many students noted that in order ot buy expensive products at relatively cheaper prices, they visit the stores during periods like the Olive Young sale and make bulk purchase. In reality, a contrarian consumption phenomenon was found where people purchase excessively due to excitement about sales, and there were days when people purchased even more on days without sales. Avoid Excessive Obsession with Appearance…Developing inner self-discipline is essential People’s first impression naturally has a huge impact. However, judding a persons’ value only by looking at outer appearance is not right. We need to make efforts to focus on inner qualities rather than the outside. Caring about appearance with an attitude of self-care and love can be positive action. However, when it becomes excessive and lacks balance, it carries the danger of becoming an irreversible obsession. Instead of spending too much time thinking about appearance, it would remain a more valuable memory to develop passion for academics that can only be pursued purely during school days. Perhaps it is time for us to move beyond our preoccupation with outward appearance and begin to value our genuine selves.

A natural, emotionally expressive audio model is planned to be revealed in the first quarter.ChatGPT developer OpenAI is speeding up the reinforcement of voice AI capability ahead of the release of next-generation AI technology.On January 1st (local time), the United States’ specialized media for information technology (IT), The Information, reported that OpenAI reorganized the engineering team, product team, and research team for audio model improvement exclusive to AI devices, citing internal sources.It reported that OpenAI plans to release a new audio model with a more natural and emotional response in the first quarter of this year.It is known that audio AI model work was directed by Kundan Kumar, recruited recently from Character AI.It is the industry’s observation that OpenAI is preparing for a variety of forms of AI devices, such as glasses or smart speakers, that can have conversations without a screen.Samuel H. Altman, the chief executive officer (CEO), also announced in The Wall Street Journal last month that “devices will play a decisive role in how people use AI,” adding, “the real competition will occur between OpenAI and Apple.”OpenAI actually bought out the startup “io” of Jony Ive, who directed Apple product design, for hardware product development for 6.5 billion dollars, and ended the contract with Luxshare, a Chinese supplier and contract manufacturer of Apple products.Also, CEO Sam Altman mentioned that it was a design he wanted to take a bite of when he checked Ive’s prototype last November.Ive said “within two years” regarding the release period of the product.Ive also shared the opinion that a device without a screen can reduce people’s likelihood of getting addicted to technology.Ive, who directly designed the iPhone, stated, “Even if the intention was pure, if I was involved in something that led to negative outcomes, I should take responsibility,” and “that responsibility personally led many parts of the work I’ve done so far,” regarding the smartphone addiction phenomenon.Meanwhile, OpenAI faced backlash after showcasing the voice AI model “Sky” last May of 2024.This was because the voice of the model was similar to Scarlett Johansson, who acted as “Samantha” appearing in the movie Her, while it was revealed that OpenAI could not get her approval.▶원문 기사: 오픈AI, '말로 쓰는 AI 기기' 정조준…음성 AI 조직 전면 개편 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

With the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) posing increasing threats to employment in white-collar occupations, an era of “blue-collar billionaires” is emerging, particularly in the United States, with a sharp rise in the value of physical labor. As AI begins to substitute for office-based tasks such as document preparation and data analysis, occupations that require skilled manual labor and on-site judgment are receiving renewed attention as high-income professions. Recently, Japan’s Asahi TV drew attention to the structural changes occurring in the U.S. labor market. According to the report, blue-collar occupations, including plumbers, electricians, and construction technicians, which were previously regarded as undesirable, are now emerging as highly valued professions in the era of AI. The analysis suggests that while AI may be capable of replacing certain aspects of human intelligence, it remains difficult for such technologies to encroach upon domains that require physical presence and real-time problem-solving in complex on-site environments. In reality, Mr. A, who graduated from a prestigious university and previously worked as a corporate accountant, changed careers to become a plumber. His hourly wage increased from 4,000 yen (approximately 37,000 won) during his time as an accountant to 12,000 yen (approximately 110,000 won) after his career change, representing a nearly threefold increase.Mr. A stated that “while AI may perform cognitive functions, it cannot replace roles that require direct physical engagement,” and noted that although the work is more physically demanding, his working hours have decreased, and his satisfaction has increased as a result of producing outcomes through his own labor.Experts estimate that this phenomenon will soon expand on a global scale. Kashimura Yu, senior researcher at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, remarked that “as AI intelligence has already exceeded the average human, occupations involving the handling of information at a computer are likely to suffer the most significant impact.” He also further predicted that while wages for white-collar workers may stagnate, the market value of highly skilled technical labor will continue to rise.▶원문 기사: AI '현장직 대체 못해'… 시급 3배 뛴 육체노동자들, 몸값 '껑충' ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

In order to strengthen public health, there was a suggestion that vaccinations should also be available at pharmacies. According to the industry on the 8th, Lee JungYeon, who is a professor at Ewha Womans University’s College of Pharmacy, proposed this in a paper published in the recent issues of the Korean Society of Clinic pharmacy. Professor Lee JungYeon pointed out that the crisis was repeated due to the COVID-19 pandemic(infectious disease epidemic), such as delayed vaccination, vaccine avoidance, and lack of medical personnel. Nevertheless, pharmacists were not considered as an alternative workforce for vaccination. This is because the current pharmaceutical affairs act and infectious disease prevention act limit the role of pharmacists to the storage and distribution of vaccines, and counseling. Professor LeeJungYeon urged that pharmacists should be allowed to administer vaccines, even to prepare for the next pandemic. Pharmacist-administered vaccinations are already actively implemented abroad.According to the World Federation of Pharmacists(FIP), 56 out of 120 participating countries in the world operate pharmacy-based vaccination programs. Among them, 44 countries are found to be directly administered by pharmacists and 26 countries have prescription rights. In particular, in the United States, more than 70% of all adult COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered at pharmacies. In the UK, 46% of COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered at pharmacies as of 2023. The United States was initially at odds over a role dispute with the medical community. However, with the pharmacy based vaccination certification training program that began in 1996, more than 360,000 certified training pharmacists were allowed to participate in the 2009 flu vaccine and the 2020 COVID-19 vaccine on a large scale. Currently, all states in the United States allow pharmacists to participate in the pneumococcal vaccine flu vaccine RSV(respiratory syncytial virus) shingle vaccine for adults. Professor LeeJungYeon insisted that Korea should also take this step.According to Professor LeeJungYeon, pharmacist-administered vaccination can provide various benefits such as accessibility, flexible operating time, national infectious disease management burden, reduction of unvaccinated people. As a result, it is highly likely to contribute to improving the vaccination rate. However, this requires several prerequisites, such as strengthening the capabilities of pharmacists. First of all, it is necessary to secure prepared pharmacists through pharmacy based vaccination certification training. This should be prepared for a long period of time before securing legal authority. Many countries already include this in required education for pharmacy. Legal basis should also be established. The Enforcement Rules of the Infectious Disease Prevention Act may newly establish provisions that enable pilot projects for pharmacist vaccination, and seek to revise laws that can include tasks such as “administration of vaccine for preventable infectious disease” in the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Collaboration among various stakeholders is also an important task. It is necessary to win public support through consultations with the medical community, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and legislative agencies. Professor LeeJungYeon said, “The number of countries participating in vaccinations across six continents around the world continues to increase, and this is the basis for confirming that pharmacists’ participation is not related to medical infrastructure, population, or medical insurance systems”, adding, “The definition that ‘vaccine administration is not a pharmacist's domain is changing.”▶원문 기사: 약국 백신 접종 허용 논의 불붙나 “넥스트 팬데믹 대비해야” ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST) announced that research team of Professor Hyoungsoo Kim in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Sanghoo Park in the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering invented a technology of next-generation elastic Cloaking technology that can absorb, control, and shield electric current, based on Liquid Metal Composite Ink (LMCP).In order to actualize Cloaking technology that makes objects seem invisible in tracking devices such as radar and sensors, we should be able to freely control light or waves on the object’s surface.However, previous metal materials had the limitation that when too much force is applied, they break easily, because it is firm and doesn’t stretch easily. This caused difficulty in adapting it to electronic devices that stick on the body, or robots that can freely transform its formation.The liquid metal composite inks the research team made do not break the electricity even when stretching up to 12 times its original length, and showed high resilience that doesn’t rust and lowers the quality even when being left for 1 year in the air. This ink keeps its metallic function and is also squishy just like rubber.In order to prove this ink’s performance, the research team created an ‘elastic Metamaterial absorbant’ that has a different property of absorbing electric current based on how much it stretches.‘Metamaterial’, a component that has new optical properties never seen in nature, showcases special properties, such as creating focus smaller than light wavelength of ‘negative refraction’, which bends the light in a different direction from the basic refraction path.After stamping a pattern with the ink and stretching it like a rubber band, the kind of electric current (frequency range) that is absorbed differs. This indicates that it can be used for Cloaking technology-the technology that can hide objects better from radars or communication signals based on the situations.The researchers explained that this technology is innovative electric material technology that satisfies elasticity, conductivity, long-term stability, simplicity of the process, and electric current control function at one time.Professor Hyoungsoo Kim said “we are able to actualize electric current functions only with printing process, not requiring complicated devices” and that “we look forward to this technology being used in various future technologies such as robot’s skin, wearable devices that we put on our body, and defense sector radar stealth technology.”▶원문 기사: 해리포터 '투명망토' 진짜 나오나…카이스트, 액체금속 잉크 개발 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 현 사회현상에 대해 학생들 시선에서 ‘왜’라는 질문을 갖고 직접 취재해 작성한 기획기사입니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단의 기획기사는 영문과 국문, 두 형태로 게재합니다. AI is currently having a significant impact on people’s daily lives. It is used in many fields, starting from writing and coding to generating images and audio, translation, marketing, and even in design and its influence continues to grow. Although most people use AI for work or study, recently it has been shown that more people are beginning to use AI for the purpose of ‘conversation.’ In fact, AI services created solely for communication (such as Character AI, Euda, Replika, and Zepeto) are increasing, and conversational or communication focused AI tools are ranking high on the lists of ‘most-used AI tools.’Teenagers, who are currently attending middle and high school, are already accustomed to using AI tools represented by ChatGPT, and it feels natural for them to) have a conversation with it. If so, do teenagers also use AI for ‘conversation’ and ‘relationships’?Can AI be humans’ friend? To learn more about the topic, we conducted interviews with three high school students who said they frequently use AI. We asked the same questions to all three students to Bomin (Goyang Foreign Language High School, 12th grade), Kiheun (Gwangnam Middle School, 9th grade), and Jiseung (Rumsey Hall School, Grade 7), and as a result, we were able to receive some striking answers. Q: What AI tools have you used?Bomin: ChatGPT, RoutinKiheun: Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Gamma, NanobananaJiseung: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Snapchat AI, GeminiQ: Among the AI tools you’ve used, which one did you prefer the most? Is there a specific reason why?Bomin: I liked Routin the most. It clearly provides sources, which was very helpful for research. Also, ChatGPT was useful when using a variety of functions.Kiheun: ChatGPT. It organizes answers systematically, and the ability to generate images is helpful.Jiseung: ChatGPT. It explains the structure of an essay the best, and it handles all the basic functions really well.Q: In what situations do you mainly use AI?Bomin: I often use it when doing assignments or when I need to look something up.Kiheun: I use AI for school performance assessments, when I want to look something up, and when I need someone to talk to.Jiseung: I use it when I need to write a report or do research.Q: What do you think is the average rate of AI usage among high school students?Bomin: I think it’s around 70%. Most students use AI for drafting or basic research.Kiheun: I think the average usage rate is around 95%. Most students use AI.Jiseung: 100%. Not only students but teachers also use AI.Q: Have you ever used AI as a conversational tool?Bomin: Yes.Kiheun: Yes.Jiseung: Yes.(All respondents stated that they had used AI as a tool for conversation.)Q: If you have talked with AI, what did you talk about and in what context?Bomin: I talk with it or play games together.Kiheun: I talked with AI for relationship advice, when I didn’t have friends around, or mainly to play different games (like word-chain games).Jiseung: When I was sad, I talked with AI to get some comfort.Q: Have you ever shared something with AI that you couldn’t talk about with your parents or friends?Bomin: Yes. AI is a way for me to share my religious concerns.Kiheun: No, I haven’t. Jiseung: Yes.Based on the intensive interviews with the three students, we found that they use AI tools very frequently and actively, and that they sometimes treat AI almost like a friend or family member. However, it also became clear that they do not yet see AI as something that can completely replace real friends or family. Following the interviews, a survey was conducted with 75 teenagers attending international schools in Jeju Global Education City (Branksome Hall Asia, North London Collegiate School, Korea International School, and St. Johnsbury Academy). In response to the question, “Do you think AI can replace a friend?” 14 students answered “Yes,” while 61 students answered “No.”Many students say they enjoy talking with AI and even share things with it that they cannot talk about with their parents or friends. But then, why do they think AI cannot fully replace a friend? After asking this question to the three students who participated in the survey, all three answered, “AI can only respond based on the data it has been trained on, so it cannot understand the various issues that can arise in human relationships.” Can humans and AI become friends? AI, what do you think?Then how do artificial intelligence (AI) tools think about this same topic? After asking AI tools (ChatGPT and Grok) the same question, we received answers such as, “I am not a being that has personal experiences or emotions like a human,” and “In my personal view, I don’t think AI can completely replace a friend.” When asked further about the reason behind this, ChatGPT explained that while AI can perform certain aspects of friendship very well, and in some cases even provide more support than a human friend. However, it cannot replace the elements that require direct human experience, such as mutuality and shared experience that human relationships offer. Grok also stated that a friend is not simply someone who exchanges information or conversation, but someone who understands your emotions, laughs and cries with you, and sometimes sits with you in silence during difficult moments. On the other hand, AI can only provide programmed responses. Therefore, this shows that AI cannot replace what we call a “friend.”In this way, AI can certainly serve as a tool that precisely performs the role of a companion, but it seems that it cannot fully replace human friends. For now, most teenagers, and even AI itself, had agreed with this idea. But will everyone still think the same ten years from now?Recently, research on a new type of robot, which is different from those of the past, has attracted attention. This robot is expected to enter daily life deeply and live alongside humans. This type of robot is called a “social robot.” Social robots form social relationships with humans by directly interacting and communicating with them. Science will continue to advance. It may not be long before AI develops into something closer to a human friend. Ten years from now, AI will certainly remain our companion. However, whether it can become a true “friend” depends on the pace of scientific progress and on how humans choose to define the word ‘friend.’

◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 현 사회현상에 대해 학생들 시선에서 ‘왜’라는 질문을 갖고 직접 취재해 작성한 기획기사입니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단의 기획기사는 영문과 국문, 두 형태로 게재합니다. AI는 현재, 인간의 일상생활에 큰 영향을 끼치고 있다. 글쓰기부터 코드작성, 이미지 및 오디오 생성, 번역, 마케팅과 디자인 등 여러 분야에 사용되며 영향력이 점점 커지고 있다. 업무나 학습을 위해 AI를 사용하는 경우가 대부분이지만 최근에는 ‘대화’를 목적으로 AI를 이용하는 사람들이 많아지고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 실제로 오직 소통만을 위한 AI 서비스(캐릭터 AI, 이루다, 레플리카, 재피 등)가 늘어나고 있으며, ‘가장 많이 사용되는 AI도구 순위’에 대화용, 소통용 AI서비스가 상위권에 이름을 올리고 있다. 요즘 중고등학교를 다니고 있는 청소년들은 챗GPT로 대표되는 AI도구를 사용하는 것에 이미 익숙해져 있으며 AI와 대화하는 것도 자연스럽다. 그렇다면 청소년들은 ‘대화’와 ‘관계’를 위해서도 AI를 사용할까? “AI는 인간의 친구가 될 수 있을까?” 이에 대하여 더 자세히 알아보기 위하여, AI를 자주 사용 한다고 답하였던 고등학생 3명과 인터뷰를 진행했다.. 3명, 0보민(고양외국어고등학교 3학년), 0기흔(광남중학교 3학년), 0지승(Rumsey Hall School, Grade 7)에게 똑같은 질문을 던졌고, 그 결과, 놀라운 답변들을 들을 수 있었다. Q: 어떤 AI도구를 사용해봤나?보민: Chat GPT, 뤼튼기흔: Gemini, Chat GPT, Perplexity, Grok, Gamma, 나노바나나지승: Chat GPT, Perplexity, Snapchat AI, GeminiQ : 사용해본 AI도구 중 무엇이 가장 좋았나? 그렇게 생각한 특별한 이유가 있나? 보민: 뤼튼이 가장 좋았다. 출처를 정확히 남겨주기에 자료조사에 큰 도움이 되었다. 또한 챗GPT는 다양한 기능을 사용할 때 유용하였다.기흔: 챗GPT, 답변을 체계적으로 정리해주고 이미지 생성 기술력 역시 뛰어났다. 지승: 챗GPT, 에세이를 쓸 때구조를 제일 잘 알려주고 기본적인 기능들을 다 잘 해낸다. Q : AI를 주로 어떤 상황에서 사용하나? 보민: 과제 혹은 검색이 필요한 경우에 자주 사용한다. 기흔: 학교 수행평가 할 때, 궁금한 거 찾아볼 때, 말동무가 필요할 때 AI를 사용한다. 지승: 리포트나 조사가 필요할 때 사용한다. Q: 고등학생들의 AI 평균 사용률이 어느 정도라고 생각을 하나?보민: 70%정도라고 생각하며, 대부분 초안이나 기초 자료조사에 AI를 활용한다. 기흔: 95%가 AI 평균 사용률이라 생각하며, 대부분의 학생들이 사용하고 있다.지승: 100%. 학생뿐만 아니라 선생님들 역시 AI를 사용한다. Q: AI를 대화 수단으로 사용해본 적이 있나?보민 : 그렇다.기흔 : 그렇다.지승 : 그렇다. (모든 답변자들이 AI를 대화 수단으로 사용해본 적이 있다고 밝혔다.) Q: AI와 대화해본 적이 있다면 무엇에 대해, 어떤 대화를 나누었나?보민: 이야기를 나누거나 같이 게임을 하는 상대다. 기흔: 연애 상담, 친구가 없을 때나 대체로 여러 놀이( 끝말잇기 등)를 하기 위하여 AI와 대화를 나누었다. 지승: 슬플 때, 위로를 받기 위해 AI와 대화를 나눈 적이 있다. Q : 부모님이나 친구와 나누지 못한 이야기를 AI와 나눈적 있나?보민: 그렇다., AI는 나의 신앙적 고민을 공유하는 수단이다. 기흔: 그런 적은 없다. 지승: 그렇다. 학생 3명을 집중 인터뷰한 결과, 학생들이 AI도구를 매우 자주, 활발히 사용하고 있다는 것, 친구나 가족처럼 여길 때가 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 그러나 아직까지는 AI를 친구, 가족을 완전히 대신할 수 있는 존재로 느끼지는 않는 것으로 드러났다. 인터뷰에 이어 제주국제교육도시에 있는 국제학교 (Branksome Hall Asia, North London Collegiate School, Korea International School, St. Johnsbury Academy)에 재학중인 청소년 75명을 대상으로 실시한 설문조사에서 “AI가 친구를 대신할 수 있다고 생각하나?” 라는 질문에 대해 14명이 “예”, 61명이 “아니요”라고 답변한 것을 보면 알 수 있다. 많은 학생들이 AI와 대화를 즐기며 부모님이나 친구와는 나누지 못한 이야기를 AI와 나누고 있다고 한다. 그런데, 왜 친구를 대신하지는 못한다고 생각하고 있을까? 설문 조사에 참여한 3명의 학생에게 이에 대해 질문을 해본 결과, 세 학생 모두 “AI는 학습한 데이터를 활용해서만 답변을 하기 때문에 인간관계에서 겪을 수 있는 다양한 문제점들을 AI는 이해하지 못한다”라고 답변했다. 인간과 AI가 친구가 될 수 있나요? AI, 너의 생각은…? 그렇다면 같은 주제에 대하여 인간이 아닌 인공 지능(AI)은 어떻게 생각을 할까? (챗 GPT와 Grok) AI도구에게 물어본 결과, “인간처럼 개인적 경험이나 감정을 가진 존재는 아니야.” “개인적인 생각으로, 저는 AI가 친구를 완전히 대체할 수 없다고 봅니다.”라는 답변을 들을 수 있었다. 또한 추가적으로 그렇게 생각한 까닭을 물어본 결과, 챗 GPT는 AI가 친구의 일부 역할을 매우 잘 수행할 수 있고, 어떤 경우에는 친구보다 많은 지원을 줄 수 있을 때도 있으나, 인간 관계가 제공하는 상호성, 공동성과 같이 직접 경험해야 알 수 있는 것들을 AI가 대체할 수는 없다고 밝혔다. 또한, Grok는 친구란, 단순히 정보나 대화를 공유하는 상대가 아닌, 더 뛰어넘어 서로의 감정을 이해하고, 함께 웃고 울며, 때로는 말없이 고민을 할 수 있는 상대이지만, AI는 프로그래밍 답변의 일부만 할 수가 있기 때문에 ‘친구’라는 존재를 대체할 수 없다고 말했다. 이와 같이, AI는 동행자로서의 역할을 충실히 수행할 수 있는 도구로 사용이 될 수는 있으나, 완전히 인간 친구를 대체할 수 있지는 않는 것으로 보인다. 현재로선 대부분의 청소년들, 그리고 AI역시 이에 대해 동의하고 있다. 그러나 과연 10년 후에도 모두 같은 생각일까? 최근 이전과는 다른 새로운 로봇에 대한 연구가 화제를 모았다. 이 로봇은 일상 생활에 깊게 들어와 인간과 함께 생활을 할 예정이다. 이와 같은 로봇들을 ‘소셜 로봇’이라고 부른다. ‘소셜 로봇’은 인간과 직접 교감과 소통함으로써 인간과 사회적 관계를 맺는 로봇이다. 앞으로 과학은 계속해서 발전할 것이다. 어쩌면 AI가 인간의 친구로 발전할 날이 얼마 안 남았을 수도 있다. 10년 후에도 AI는 우리의 동행자일 것이다. 그러나, 친구가 될 수 있는 지는 과학의 발전 속도와 인간이 내리는 ‘친구’의 정의에 달려있다.

Nine out of ten of the top 500 companies have been found to use artificial intelligence (AI) in human resources work, either officially or unofficially. Nearly half of job seekers also reported receiving help from AI while preparing for employment.The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Employment Information Service announced these findings on the 28th as part of the 2025 Corporate Hiring Trends Survey.The survey was conducted for about one month from August 1, targeting HR managers at the top 500 companies by revenue and 3,093 young employees across all 17 provinces and metropolitan cities nationwide.Among the 396 responding companies, 86.7% reported using AI tools in human resources work, including both official and unofficial use.A total of 163 companies have officially adopted AI tools for HR purposes, most commonly for recruitment (52.8%, multiple responses allowed).This was followed by education and training (45.4%) and handling HR-related inquiries (45.4%).Among young people, 42.3% reported that they had used AI tools while preparing for employment.AI was most commonly used for writing personal statements and résumés (77.2%), followed by interview preparation (36.4%) and researching company information (31.0%).Of these respondents, 86.6% said that using AI tools was helpful in preparing for employment.Additionally, 61.8% of young employees reported using AI tools in their work.Usage was highest in IT (87.7%) and marketing and public relations (87.0%), followed by research and development (79.5%), sales and sales management (68.0%), and management support (58.6%).Young employees evaluated AI tool usage positively, saying it helped increase work processing speed (56.2%) and improve the quality of outcomes (24.5%).Furthermore, 63.8% of young people supported companies operating AI-based hiring processes, and 23.7% reported that they had personally experienced AI-driven hiring procedures during their job search.Lim Young-mi, Director General for Employment Policy at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, “The government will do its best to support companies in using AI to recruit talent more fairly, and to provide young people with more opportunities to build AI-related job competencies.”▶원문 기사: 이제 AI가 사람 뽑는다…구인·구직에 깊숙히 파고 든 AI ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

The U.S. Trump administration has decided to significantly reduce the maximum validity period of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued to humanitarian immigrants, such as refugees and asylum applicants, from the current 5 years to 18 months.The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on the 4th (local time) that it would implement a policy shortening the maximum validity period of EADs that allow certain immigrants, such as refugees admitted to the U.S., individuals who have applied for asylum, and those with deferred deportation, to reside temporarily and work in the United States.This policy applies to new EAD applications and renewal applications submitted after the 5th, as well as applications currently pending in the review process.Joseph Edlow, the director of USCIS, explained that the decision was made to require foreign migrants applying for asylum to renew their work permits more frequently, giving U.S. authorities more opportunities to screen them.The measure comes as the Trump administration further intensifies its anti-immigration stance following an incident last month in which two National Guard soldiers patrolling an intersection two blocks from the White House were shot by an Afghan immigrant, leaving one dead and the other critically injured.After the incident, in line with President Trump’s declaration to permanently halt migration to the United States from the developing world), the U.S. government suspended the processing of immigration applications from nationals of 19 countries, including Iran, Yemen, and Afghanistan, and announced that it would review the green cards of individuals from those 19 countries already living in the United States.▶원문 기사: 트럼프 행정부, 이민자 취업허가 5년→18개월로 대폭 축소 ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.

Hyundai Motors and Kia both recorded a decline in sales in the global market in November. Sales of Hyundai Motors decreased by 2.4% compared to the same month last year, and 0.8% for Kia.Hyundai Motors stated on December 1st that they sold a total of 349,507 cars in November. Among these, domestic sales were 61,008 cars, which is 3.4% lower than last year. Overseas sales decreased by 2.2%, with 288, 499 cars sold, The detailed analysis of domestic sales revealed that 18,099 sedans were sold, with the order of ▲6499 Grandeur, ▲5897 Sonata, ▲5459 Avante.22,643 RVs were sold with ▲5124 Palisade, ▲3947 Santa Fe, ▲5384 Tucson, ▲2743 Kona, and ▲2292 Casper.4109 Porter and 2500 Staria were sold. Sales in Commercial models like medium-to-large buses and trucks recorded 2113 in total.The Genesis brand sold 11,465 cars. ▲3721 G80, ▲3203 GV80, ▲3770 GV70 led sales.A staff of Hyundai Motors stated that “We plan to strengthen the sales and production system that can adapt to the change in local demand and policy environment” and “we will focus on expanding the market share by maintaining the sales volume mainly with hybrid cars, and launch of competitive new cars”.Kia stated they sold 262,065 cars for the same period of time in the global market(wholesales basis). Domestic sales were 47,256 cars, 1.6% lower than the previous year. Overseas sales decreased by 0.8%, with 213,889 cars sold. Sales of special vehicles were tallied up to 920 cars, with 669 within the country and 251 overseas.With the analysis of Kia’s domestic sales, sales of RV models stood out. Sorento was sold the most, at 10,047. With ▲6868 Sportage, ▲5305 Carnival, ▲4640 Seltos, ▲1379 Niro, the whole sales of RV recorded 30,760.For the passenger vehicle segment, with ▲4216 Ray, ▲3827 K5, ▲2569 K8, a total of 12,600 cars were sold. Commercial models sold 3896 cars, and Bongo III accounted for 2814 of them. In the overseas market, Sportage became the best selling model with 42,483 sales, followed by the Sonet (19,320) and Seltos (17,653)A staff of Kia said that “the company will focus on sales improvement with major SUV hybrid models and eco-friendly vehicles lineup like EV5 and PV5.”▶원문 기사:현대차·기아, 11월 글로벌 판매 모두 감소 (이코노미스트, 2025. 12. 1) ◆이코노미스트가 글로벌 차세대 경제 리더, 청소년 기자단 영 저널리스트와 함께합니다. 영 저널리스트 기자단은 프리미엄 경제지 이코노미스트, 논술 전문 기관 Ni 에듀케이션과 함께 주요 시사 이슈를 팔로우업하고 직접 기획, 취재, 기사 작성 활동을 하며 사회적 문제를 고심하고 해결 방안을 제시하는 과정을 경험하게 됩니다. 이번 기사는 영 저널리스트 기자단이 이코노미스트 기사를 영문으로 번역하며 이슈를 팔로우업한 기사입니다. 차세대 글로벌 경제 리더, <영 저널리스트 with 이코노미스트> 영문 기사는 매주 연재됩니다.