What AlphaGo and Lee Sedol's Match Left With Me

That Day's Memory

A few years ago, the entire nation gathered around a single Go board. It was the match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol 9-dan. The whole world fixed their eyes on this game, and news and internet were filled with stories about it every day.

To be honest, I don't know much about Go. I only knew the basic rules and wasn't the type to follow professional players' matches. But this time was different. The special circumstance of artificial intelligence versus human drew me to the screen.

Every evening after coming home from work, the first thing I did was check the match results. People around me were the same. Even those who usually had no interest in Go were talking about this match.

My Crumbling Certainty

At first, I was certain. "Lee Sedol will win." I thought it was an obvious outcome. I had learned that Go was on a different level from chess or other games. When I heard that the number of possible moves exceeds the number of atoms in the universe, I believed this was an area computers could never solve.

Go isn't just calculation—it's the realm of intuition and art, they say. It's a game containing thousands of years of human wisdom and insight. How could a machine understand such depth?

But when AlphaGo won the first game, I was a bit surprised. "Was it just lucky?" I thought. When AlphaGo won the second game too, anxiety crept in. Watching the third consecutive loss, I felt emotions difficult to put into words.

The expression on Lee Sedol 9-dan's face on the screen kept bothering me. Someone who usually appeared so strong seemed to be gradually wearing down. Somehow, that image felt like all of us. It was like facing a moment when something we were certain about began to shake.

Hope That Still Came

The joy when Lee Sedol 9-dan won the fourth game is still vivid. I remember quietly cheering in front of my monitor. That evening's news said the whole nation celebrated together.

It was just one victory, but the meaning was significant. It was a moment showing "humans can do it too." Even the seemingly perfect AlphaGo had weaknesses, and human creativity found those gaps.

In that moment, I realized something. What matters isn't winning or losing, but the process of growing together. Lee Sedol poured everything into the fight, and in that process, discovered new possibilities.

The Changed World of Go

After AlphaGo, the Go world completely transformed. Professional players began studying AlphaGo's games and started making new moves they'd never imagined before. Traditional strategies that had been passed down for thousands of years changed, and new tactics were born.

What's amazing is that Go, which has existed since before recorded history, has developed faster in recent years than at any other time. Knowledge humans accumulated over thousands of years was surpassed in just a few years upon meeting a new tool.

At first, I was afraid. I worried, "Will there be no place left for humans?" But as time passed, my thinking changed. I came to understand that artificial intelligence isn't replacing humans, but can be a tool that elevates human potential.

Small Changes in Daily Life

These days, when I watch the news, there are many stories about losing jobs because of artificial intelligence. I often see articles that incite fear. Of course, change always brings anxiety. But when I recall the match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol, I think a different perspective is possible.

Lately, I've been trying various tools in my daily life. When writing, organizing ideas, or learning something new, different technologies help. It was awkward at first, but as I gradually became familiar with them, I felt my abilities expanding.

Tasks that used to take hours finish quickly, and I get ideas I wouldn't have thought of alone. Just like Go players learned new moves through AlphaGo, I'm also expanding my possibilities through new tools.

Experience Over Fear

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend. My friend said new technologies are scary. Along with the worry, "Are we becoming unnecessary?" I told the AlphaGo story.

"What if Lee Sedol had only feared AlphaGo? What if he had refused the match? The Go world probably wouldn't have developed like it has now."

I think it's important to experience things directly rather than just being scared. Try new tools, feel for yourself what's good about them, what limitations they have. That's how fear turns into understanding, and resistance transforms into utilization.

Of course, not all changes are easy. We make mistakes in the adaptation process, and sometimes feel frustrated. But through such processes, we grow. Just like Lee Sedol 9-dan became stronger through the match with AlphaGo.

A Future We Create Together

Even at this moment, the world is rapidly changing. Some people are anxious, while others are filled with anticipation. I feel like I'm standing somewhere in between.

We can't completely predict the changes new technology will bring. But one thing is certain: the outcome will differ depending on how we accept and utilize it.

AlphaGo didn't destroy Go. Rather, it opened new possibilities. Human players learned from AlphaGo and came to play deeper, more sophisticated Go. It showed that technology and humans don't have to compete, but can be partners growing together.

Today's Choice

Every morning when I wake up, I think, "What should I learn today?" When I hear news about a new tool, curiosity arises. I wonder how to use it, how it might help with my work.

We don't need to know everything. We don't need to become experts. I think it's enough just to accept new things with an open mind and experience them directly.

When we try things one by one like this, we eventually discover ourselves becoming familiar with them. Things that were awkward at first become natural, and things that were scary become interesting.

Questions That Remain in My Heart

There are still questions I haven't found answers to. How will the world change in the future? What is our role? Where will new technologies lead us?

But as the match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol taught us, what matters isn't the answers to questions, but how we grow in the process.

Lee Sedol was respected despite his losses. Because he didn't fear the challenge, did his best, and never stopped learning new things. Can't we do the same?

Small Courage

Today, someone is probably hesitating before something new. Thinking things like "I don't think I can do it," "It looks too difficult," "I'm getting older, at this point..." making it hard to take that first step.

Whenever that happens, I recall Lee Sedol 9-dan from that day. The image of him sitting alone at the Go board facing the world's best artificial intelligence. His courage elevated the entire Go world by a step.

We have such moments too. From something small like trying a new app, to something big like challenging completely different work. In front of our own Go boards, we make choices.

Moving Forward Together

In the end, I think what's important is moving forward together. Not unconditionally rejecting technology, nor blindly following it, but advancing step by step at our own pace.

Just as Go became more enriched after AlphaGo, our lives can become more enriched with new tools. Of course, there will be difficulties in the process, but I believe we can overcome them together.

Just as the whole nation celebrated Lee Sedol 9-dan's single victory together that day, we can cheer for each other's small challenges and successes. Congratulate someone when they've learned something new, and extend a hand when they're having difficulties.

Today, and Tomorrow

I look out the window. The world keeps changing, but some things don't change. Things like the desire to learn, the heart wanting to grow, the wish to create a better tomorrow.

What the match between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol left us a few years ago isn't a record of wins and losses. It's the courage to challenge, the attitude to learn, and hope for new possibilities.

Today, someone is standing before a new challenge. I hope the story of AlphaGo and Lee Sedol becomes a small source of courage in that moment. Because we're all living our lives making the best moves in front of our own Go boards.

And in that process, we grow little by little. Creating a today better than yesterday, a tomorrow better than today. I think that's the most beautiful lesson AlphaGo and Lee Sedol showed us.