At the very beginning of my career, I had the privilege of working with Arthur C. Clarke. He is most famous for his quote, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” While this might sound a bit mystical, there’s a lot of truth to it. We are surrounded by advanced technology that often seems magical.

I remember one time when we were discussing the future of technological development. Clarke mentioned an interesting point: the pace of technological advancement is so rapid that we often struggle to understand how these technologies work. For instance, smartphones, self-driving cars, and even artificial intelligence—these technologies are so complex and deep that they exceed the understanding of the average person. In such cases, it can be helpful to view these technologies as “magic,” which not only lightens our cognitive load but also makes them easier to accept and use.

However, as technologists, we cannot simply be content with treating advanced technology as “magic.” We need to delve into the workings of these technologies to better utilize them and solve real-world problems. Take AI, for example. While it may seem like a mysterious force, it is actually the result of complex algorithms and extensive data training. Understanding these algorithms and data processing methods not only helps us design and improve AI systems more effectively but also allows us to recognize their limitations and potential risks.