内容来源：https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/06/15/1138983/why-do-south-koreans-love-ai-so-much/

内容总结：

韩国为何全民痴迷AI？从养老机器人到AI僧人，这个国家已全面拥抱人工智能

在从旧金山飞往首尔的12小时长途飞行后，记者一落地便体验了无人化入境检查——机器扫描面部和护照即可通关。地铁里，乘客们低头盯着手机（即便在地下，5G信号也畅通无阻），站台LED屏幕正轮播着K-pop偶像的生日广告。江南区的十字路口，一台卡通眼睛的轮式机器人正静静等待绿灯，准备为顾客配送晚餐。街边网吧里挤满了打游戏的青少年，他们或许正梦想着成为下一个传奇电竞选手。

这一切在韩国并不稀奇。这个国家正以惊人的速度将AI融入日常生活。今年6月，江南区宣布将在公交站增设“AI候车亭”，配备多语种互动查询终端。作为在首尔长大的本地人，记者亲眼见证了这座城市从战后重建的“草根都市”蜕变为今天的科技之都。

全民乐观：AI接受度全球领先

与美国日益高涨的公众反AI情绪形成鲜明对比，韩国人对AI普遍持乐观态度。皮尤研究中心对25个国家的调查显示，仅16%的韩国人对AI感到担忧而非兴奋（该比例全球最低），而美国人的这一比例高达50%。韩国文化体育观光部和商工会议所的调查表明，多数韩国人每天都会使用AI作为私人助理或完成工作任务。

作为全球网络最发达的国家之一，韩国热衷于“街头测试”各种新技术——从AI网络漫画、虚拟K-pop偶像到AI机器人僧侣。这种实验热情同样体现在政府层面：学校正逐步推广AI教科书，福利机构已部署养老机器人。韩国人深信，拥抱技术是实现国家现代化、巩固全球地位的核心要素。他们对AI的痴迷，正是这一理念的最新体现。

政策驱动：举国之力打造AI强国

这种技术乐观主义很大程度上源于国家战略的引导。韩国科学技术院教授全智亨指出：“政府将AI赋能的第四次工业革命定为国家前进方向，并大力投资推进。韩国人不断被政府告知AI有创造美好未来的潜力。”

从战后废墟中崛起的韩国，每一次经济腾飞都离不开技术助力：1970年代的钢铁造船、1980年代的半导体、1990年代的宽带、2000年代的智能手机。如今，三星和SK海力士供应着全球大部分高带宽内存芯片，这些芯片正是训练AI模型所需的英伟达尖端硬件的核心。这两大半导体巨头推动韩国KOSPI指数在2026年创下历史新高，两家公司市值均突破1万亿美元。

韩国总统李在明承诺，将把韩国打造成仅次于美国和中国的“全球AI三强”。自2025年就任后，他成立了国家AI战略总统委员会，斥巨资采购计算资源，并启动主权AI基础模型项目，资助韩国企业开发本土AI模型。政府还通过税收优惠和低息贷款大力支持三星、SK海力士等半导体巨头。

在政策取向上，韩国将加速AI发展置于安全考量之上。2024年，韩国国会通过《AI基本法》，成为全球最早通过综合性AI法律的国家之一，旨在促进发展的同时建立“轻触式”监管框架。2026年斯坦福AI指数报告显示，70%的韩国人认为，优先事项应是通过AI创新推动科学和医学进步，而非通过监管保护行业。

这些努力已初见成效。同一指数显示，韩国在“知名AI模型”数量上排名全球第三。对韩国这样的小国而言，AI是实现“以小博大”的难得机遇。

隐忧暗涌：发展狂热下的反思缺失

然而，这种单一目标导向可能挤压对AI社会影响的批判性思考。全智亨教授表示：“由于国家AI议程优先经济发展，对技术的社会、政治、伦理维度的反思严重不足。”2025年，韩国政府因在未进行试点评估的情况下，直接推出存在事实错误和数据隐私风险的AI教科书，引发公众强烈抗议。

尽管整体乐观，韩国人仍担心失业问题。现代汽车今年1月宣布将在工厂部署“阿特拉斯”人形机器人后，工会强烈抗议，声称“未经劳资协议，禁止任何采用新技术的机器人进入工作场所”。调查显示，64%的韩国人担忧AI替代劳动力会加剧不平等，不过52%的人相信AI也能提高生产力。

现实困境：在期待与焦虑中前行

在一个周五夜晚，记者与表妹在首尔中央市场的路边摊小聚。29岁的她是一名保险代理人，正祈祷能找到新工作和男朋友。她掏出手机，将记者的出生日期输入ChatGPT算“四柱”命理。韩国盖洛普调查显示，46%的20多岁年轻人曾使用聊天机器人算命。这群人深陷屏幕依赖、面临失业或低薪困境，对婚姻和购房望而却步。

表妹还向ChatGPT咨询股票交易建议，梦想着用工资投资大赚一笔。“ChatGPT是我的萨满，也是我的理财顾问，”她说。但她也害怕被AI取代。和所有同事一样，她在工作中拼命使用ChatGPT，唯恐落于人后。“我有时害怕AI，但现在它实在太有用了。”

中文翻译：

为什么韩国人如此热爱人工智能？
从养老机器人到人形僧侣，韩国人对人工智能的追捧永无止境。
本文最初发表于《算法》周刊——我们聚焦人工智能的新闻通讯。如果你想第一时间在收件箱中收到此类报道，请在此处订阅。
当我从旧金山历经12小时疲惫飞行抵达首尔时，穿过无人入境检查站，机器扫描了我的面部和护照。回家的地铁上，人们紧盯着手机（即使在地下，5G信号也完美无缺），车窗外闪过LED屏幕，播放着庆祝K-pop偶像生日的广告。在江南站下车时，一个卡通眼睛的轮式机器人正耐心地在人行横道旁等待，准备为某人配送晚餐。街边的网吧里挤满了玩电脑游戏的青少年，或许他们正梦想成为下一位传奇职业选手。
我站在一个配备互动触摸屏的公交站前，屏幕实时显示着公交时刻表。江南区政府今年6月宣布，这里将很快升级为“人工智能公交站”，设置可多语种回答乘客问题的自助服务终端。这则消息并未让我惊讶。在这座城市长大的我，亲眼目睹首尔从粗犷的工业新城蜕变为如今闪耀的科技之都。
韩国热爱人工智能。
当美国公众对人工智能的抵触情绪正在酝酿时，韩国人却持乐观态度。皮尤研究中心调查的25个国家中，仅16%的韩国人对人工智能的担忧多于期待——比例全球最低；而美国有50%的人更担忧而非期待。根据韩国文化体育观光部和韩国商工会议所的调查，大多数韩国人每天使用人工智能，或作为个人助理，或用于处理工作任务。
作为全球网络化程度最高的国家之一，韩国热衷于街头测试每一种新兴科技——人工智能网络漫画、虚拟K-pop偶像、人形僧侣。这种实验热情不止于普通民众。政府机构也是早期采用者，在学校部署人工智能教科书，在福利中心引入人工智能养老机器人。韩国人深信，拥抱技术是推动国家现代化、巩固其全球地位的核心。他们对人工智能的痴迷正是这一理念的最新体现——这也促使他们渴望保持领先。
被设计的热情
这一切技术乐观主义很大程度上源于韩国将人工智能作为经济增长引擎的国家议程。“韩国政府将人工智能驱动的第四次工业革命定位为国家前进方向，并大力推广和投资，”韩国科学技术院科技政策教授全智亨表示，“政府持续不断地向国民灌输人工智能创造更美好未来的潜力。”
从朝鲜战争的废墟中崛起后，技术帮助韩国摆脱贫困，成为经济强国。20世纪70年代，韩国制造钢铁和船舶；80年代转向半导体；90年代发展宽带；21世纪推出智能手机。如今，三星和SK海力士供应了全球大部分高带宽内存芯片，这些芯片驱动着训练人工智能模型所需的顶尖英伟达硬件。韩国经济如今围绕这两大半导体巨头运转：受两家公司股价飙升推动（各自市值超过1万亿美元），韩国主要股指Kospi在2026年创下历史新高。
韩国总统李在明承诺将国家推入“全球人工智能三强”行列（与美国和中国并列）。2025年就职后，他成立了国家人工智能战略总统委员会，协助采购海量算力，并启动主权人工智能基础模型项目，资助韩国企业发展本土人工智能模型。政府还通过慷慨的税收抵免和低息融资支持三星、SK海力士等半导体巨头。
韩国的政策立场优先考虑加速人工智能发展，而非安全考量。2024年，韩国立法机构通过了《人工智能基本法》——全球首部综合性人工智能法律之一，旨在促进人工智能发展并建立轻度监管框架。根据2026年斯坦福人工智能指数，70%的韩国人认为通过人工智能创新推动科学和医学进步比通过监管保护行业更重要。
这些努力可能正在见效。根据最新技术成果、高引用率等标准，同一指数将韩国评为全球知名人工智能模型数量第三多的国家。对许多像韩国这样的小国而言，人工智能是“以小搏大”的机会。
盲点
但这种专注可能挤占对人工智能更广泛社会影响的批判性反思。“由于国家人工智能议程优先考虑经济发展，”科技政策教授全智亨指出，“对该技术的社会、政治、伦理维度缺乏反思。”2025年，韩国政府因推出存在事实错误和数据隐私风险的电子课本而遭遇强烈反对——这些课本未经试点项目评估其对学生学习的影响。
尽管乐观，韩国人仍担忧人工智能可能导致失业。今年1月现代汽车宣布将在旗下汽车工厂部署Atlas人形机器人后，现代汽车集团工会强烈抗议。“未经劳资协议，任何采用新技术的机器人不得进入工作场所，”工会声明称。64%的韩国人担心人工智能取代人力并加剧不平等，尽管52%的人认为它也能提升生产力。
最近一个周五夜晚，在首尔中央市场，我和表姐妹们去了家布帐马车（深夜小吃摊），那里摆着垒成金字塔状的鱼饼串。当我们就着啤酒碰杯烧酒——韩国夜生活的经典平民组合——一位表姐问我是否让ChatGPT算过生辰八字（韩国传统占卜）。这位29岁的首尔保险经纪正祈祷找到新工作和男友，她说让ChatGPT占卜事业和姻缘是她的最爱。她掏出手机，在聊天机器人中输入我的出生日期。
根据韩国盖洛普调查，46%的20多岁韩国人曾用聊天机器人算命——他们沉迷屏幕、困于失业或前途黯淡的工作、因高房价无法结婚或购房。
表姐说她还向ChatGPT咨询炒股技巧，幻想自己投入薪水的投资账户能赚大钱。她相信ChatGPT是逃离现实、通往美好未来的通道。尽管她如此喜爱这个作为“萨满”和财务顾问的聊天机器人，她仍害怕被人工智能替代。但和所有同事一样，她仍在工作中狂热使用ChatGPT，生怕落后。
“我有时害怕人工智能，但眼下它实在太有用了，”她说。
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英文来源：

Why do South Koreans love AI so much?
From eldercare robots to humanoid monks, South Koreans just can’t get enough of AI.
This story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here.
When I landed in Seoul after a grueling 12-hour flight from San Francisco, I walked through an unmanned immigration checkpoint, where a machine scanned my face and passport. On the subway home, people were glued to their phones (powered by flawless 5G even underground), as we raced past platforms lined with LED screens of ads celebrating K-pop idols’ birthdays. When I got off the station in Gangnam, a cartoon-eyed robot on wheels was waiting patiently at a crosswalk to deliver someone’s dinner. Internet cafés dotted the sidewalks, crammed with teenagers playing computer games, maybe hoping to become the next legendary pro gamer.
I stood at a bus stop with interactive touch screens showing real-time bus schedule updates. It will soon become an “AI bus stop,” the Gangnam district announced in June, with a kiosk that answers riders’ questions in multiple languages. The news didn’t surprise me. Having grown up in the city, I’ve watched Seoul transform from a scrappy boomtown into the gleaming tech capital it is today.
South Korea loves AI.
While a public backlash against AI is brewing across the US, South Koreans are optimistic. Only 16% say they are more concerned than excited about AI—the lowest of any of the 25 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center—while 50% of Americans were more worried than excited. A majority of Koreans use AI every day, either as a sort of personal assistant or to do tasks at work, according to surveys by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
One of the most wired countries in the world, South Korea loves to street-test every new technology on the block—AI webcomics, virtual K-pop idols, and humanoid monks. And the appetite for experimentation doesn’t stop with ordinary citizens. Government agencies are early adopters too, deploying AI textbooks in schools and AI eldercare robots in welfare centers. South Koreans share a deep conviction that embracing technology is integral to modernizing the country and cementing its place in the global order. Their fascination with AI is just the latest incarnation of that ethos—and it’s making them anxious to stay ahead.
Engineered enthusiasm
All this techno-optimism has largely been engineered by South Korea’s national agenda to make AI a motor of economic growth. “The South Korean government has designated an AI-powered Fourth Industrial Revolution as the country’s path forward and aggressively promoted and invested in it,” says Chihyung Jeon, a professor of science and technology policy at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. “South Koreans have consistently and relentlessly been told by the government about AI’s potential to create a better future.”
As South Korea rose from the ashes of the Korean War, technology lifted the nation from poverty into an economic powerhouse. In the 1970s, South Korea manufactured steel and ships, then semiconductors in the 1980s, broadband in the 1990s, and smartphones in the 2000s. Today, Samsung and SK Hynix supply most of the world’s high-bandwidth memory chips, which power the cutting-edge Nvidia hardware used to train AI models. South Korea’s economy now orbits these two semiconductor giants: The country’s main equity index, Kospi, surged to record highs in 2026, powered by the soaring share prices of both companies, each valued above $1 trillion.
Lee Jae-myung, president of South Korea, has pledged to vault the country into the ranks of the “top three AI powers” alongside the US and China. After taking office in 2025, he launched the Presidential Council on National AI Strategy to help buy massive amounts of computing power and a sovereign AI foundation model project that funds Korean companies to develop homegrown AI models. The government has also supported semiconductor titans, including Samsung and SK Hynix, through generous tax credits and low-interest financing.
South Korea’s policy posture also prioritizes accelerating AI development over safety considerations. In 2024, South Korea’s legislature passed the AI Basic Act, one of the world’s first comprehensive AI laws, to promote AI development and establish light-touch regulatory guardrails. Seventy percent of South Koreans say advancing science and medicine through AI innovation is a bigger priority than protecting industries through regulation, according to the 2026 Stanford AI Index.
All of that effort might be paying off. The same index ranked South Korea as having the third largest number of notable AI models in the world, based on criteria such as state-of-the-art advancements or high citation rates. For many small countries like South Korea, AI is a chance to punch above their weight.
The blind spots
But that single-mindedness can crowd out critical reflection on AI’s broader societal impacts. “Because the national agenda on AI prioritizes economic development,” says Jeon, the professor of science and technology policy, “there isn’t much reflection on the social, political, ethical dimensions of the technology.” In 2025, the South Korean government faced a fierce backlash for rolling out AI textbooks riddled with factual inaccuracies and data privacy risks without testing them first in a pilot program to evaluate how they affect student learning.
And despite their optimism, South Koreans are still worried that AI could displace them from their jobs. After Hyundai announced in January that it will deploy Atlas humanoid robots across its car factories, the Hyundai Motor Group union protested vehemently. “Without labor-management agreement, not a single robot using new technology will be allowed to enter the workplace,” the union said. Sixty-four percent of South Koreans fear AI could displace human labor and exacerbate inequality, although 52% believe it could also increase productivity.
On a recent Friday night in the Seoul Central Market, I went out with my cousins to a pocha, a late-night restaurant that serves fish cakes stacked in neat pyramids. As we clinked our cups of soju cut with beer—the scrappy staple cocktail of every Korean night out—one cousin asked me if I’d asked ChatGPT about my saju, a traditional Korean fortune-telling practice. A 29-year-old insurance agent in Seoul praying for a new job and a boyfriend, she said asking ChatGPT about work and dating was her favorite pastime. She pulled up her phone and punched my birth date into the chatbot.
Addicted to their screens, trapped between unemployment and dead-end jobs, and priced out of marriage and homeownership, 46% of South Koreans in their 20s have used a chatbot to read their fortunes, according to a survey by Korea Gallup.
My cousin said she also asks ChatGPT for tips on trading stocks, dreaming big about making bank on her investment accounts into which she’s been pouring her salary. ChatGPT, she believes, is her portal out of reality into a better future.
Despite how fond she is of the chatbot as her shaman and financial advisor, she fears losing her job to AI. She still uses ChatGPT feverishly at work, as all her coworkers do, afraid of falling behind.
“I sometimes fear AI, but for now, it’s just so useful,” she said.
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