‘괴물’이 탄생하기 전에 [똑똑! 한국사회]

The story began on August 1st, 220 years ago, when a ship became trapped in the ice near the North Pole. Dr. Frankenstein was near death in his lab, but instead of boarding the ship, he chose to ascend first. He had set out to destroy the "monster" he had created, and had never given it a name. The captain, Walton, had no idea why Frankenstein had come to the North Pole.

The year before, 1816, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Britain had dispatched ships, officers, and sailors for an Arctic exploration project. However, Walton was not one of them. He was a different "Frankenstein" who had established his own expedition with inherited wealth and recruited sailors. Shelley highlighted the need to prevent the creation of the monster by contrasting the single-mindedness of the two Dr. Frankenstein and Walton.

Walton, unlike his counterpart, desired to understand and modify his plans, thus needing crew members. Walton's goal was to find the North Pole, uncover the Earth's secret, and benefit humanity, but he faced challenges from the ice. Walton's crew, however, could see beyond their immediate objectives, allowing them to perceive the entire ship and its mission.

Today, we are on a different ship, navigating through fields of artificial intelligence, life sciences, and space exploration, unaware of the "monster" that awaits at the end. The government aims to become a "AI 3 major power" this year, with a total investment of 4.755 trillion won in semiconductor, physical AI, and AI data centers.

However, this pursuit requires vast amounts of electricity and water, which could prove counterproductive in a climate crisis. Recent data center protests in 42 U.S. states and a New York State ban on large-scale data center construction have raised concerns about resource allocation in a time of climate crisis. As we approach summer 2026, which could be the hottest on record, the need for a different kind of vision becomes increasingly apparent.

Those concerned about water and power supplies for new facilities are those with a broader perspective, and the crew members whose lives are most at risk depend on the ship's destination. We are currently on the same ship, "Korea," and "Earth," asking the same question Dr. Frankenstein asked upon boarding: "Where are we going?"