Questioning the Impacts of General-Purpose AI on Human Labor

Principle Investigator：Kwang-Suk Lee

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies increasingly replicate human cognitive functions—such as language processing, programming, artistic creation, and scientific reasoning—their integration into labor markets raises critical socio-economic and human rights concerns. It is essential to examine how AI-driven automation, as a significant frontier in shifting power dynamics, is restructuring work environments, altering employment conditions, reshaping labor processes, and redefining labor rights. This study investigates the transformative impact of general-purpose AI, such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek, on service and cultural labor, with a particular focus on major East Asian metropolitan cities, including Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, and Tokyo.