Three Nobel Laureates to Discuss the Future of Science in the AI Era in Seoul

Sixteen Leading Experts from Korea and Abroad to Participate
Debate on the Role and Competencies of Scientists with Youth and University Students

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the methods and pace of scientific discovery, what qualities are necessary for scientists? Three Nobel laureates and leading scholars from Korea and abroad are gathering in Seoul to discuss how AI will shape the future of science and define the role of human scientists.

The Korean Academy of Science and Technology announced on the 18th that it will co-host the "Nobel Prize Dialogue Seoul 2026" together with Nobel Prize Outreach (NPO), a subsidiary of the Swedish Nobel Foundation, at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 20th.

Three Nobel laureates giving a lecture on the 20th at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Courtesy of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology

This event is themed "The Future of Science Transformed by AI." Sixteen experts from science, technology, the arts, and philosophy—including three Nobel laureates: David MacMillan, Professor at Princeton University and winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; Brian Schmidt, Professor at the Australian National University and winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics; and Craig Mello, Professor at the University of Massachusetts and winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine—will participate. Lectures and panel discussions are scheduled for an audience of around 1,200 people.

In particular, six Korean high school and university students will join the stage as discussants to debate directly with the Nobel laureates. They will explore topics such as "What makes a great scientist in the AI era?" and "What is the most essential scientific competency in the age of AI?" as they seek to define the role of future scientists together.

The Nobel Prize Dialogue is a special international edition of "Nobel Week Dialogue," which is held annually in Sweden around the Nobel Prize award ceremony in December. The event brings Nobel laureates, scientists, and policy experts together with the public to discuss the pressing challenges facing humanity. This is the third time the event is being held in Korea, following previous editions in 2017 and 2023.

Jeong Jin-ho, President of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, stated, “AI is rapidly changing the paradigm of scientific research, and now is the crucial time to reflect together on its future. Through this event, we hope to envision the future of science in the AI era together with the public.”

In connection with the main event, the Academy has also organized lectures by Nobel laureates at Korean universities and high schools. Professor Mello delivered a lecture at Pukyong National University on the 18th, while Professors MacMillan and Schmidt will meet with students at Seoul Science High School and Ewha Womans University, respectively, on the 21st.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.