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Drive-thru creativity lab: Finding focus behind the wheel

Published: 15 May. 2025, 00:04 Updated: 15 May. 2025, 14:15

Song Gil-young

The author is a data analyst and writer.

One recent morning, a dull ache in my lower back confirmed what I had suspected. The pain was a consequence of a poorly managed attempt to shed weight rapidly, leading not only to fat loss but also to muscle loss. I had several deadlines looming, but writing requires a body that can bear the task. I drove to my regular Korean medicine clinic.

An hourlong commute is routine for city dwellers. On a normal day, I might spend it chatting with friends or listening to music or podcasts. But with deadlines approaching, even those luxuries felt excessive. I decided to reclaim the idle time and turned to AI. Typically, I begin writing by opening a diary or a laptop and collecting scattered thoughts on a screen. But today, I was in my car, without pen or paper, engaging in a spoken exchange with an AI assistant.

Autonomous taxis operate late at night in Seoul. The city has deployed three vehicles to start and plans to gradually increase the fleet from september 2024 . [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Despite my scattered ideas, the AI responded earnestly. As it offered feedback, I found myself linking thoughts more quickly. Of course, AI cannot dictate the final shape or tone of an article. But in suggesting phrasing, checking logic, and clarifying repetition, it proved to be a useful partner. By the time I reached the clinic, the rough draft was already outlined.

In the analog era, I used to fill notebooks with scattered words and phrases to find the core of an idea. That process remains, even if paper has been replaced by screens, and pencils by keyboards. A few weeks ago, I had a similar experience on a train to Uljin for a lecture. The four-hour ride became a writing retreat. In eight hours of round-trip travel, I wrote over 10,000 characters — an intense period of concentration. The train, where I had no option but to sit still, created a forced immersion.

Now, I realize that a car can serve the same purpose. Unlike a train, I cannot use my hands to write while driving. But I can speak. The car becomes a mobile studio where analog control and digital interaction meet. My hands grip the wheel, feet press the pedals, yet I converse with one of the most advanced digital tools available.

Driving, for me, offers both mobility and an unexpected refuge of focus. Distractions are minimized. I'm left alone with my thoughts — and the AI's voice. Most stimulating of all are the ever-changing scenes outside the window. The sunlight of May, leaves trembling in the wind, newly painted buildings and people’s expression — my eyes are on the screen, not the scenery. But for a driver, who must constantly scan the road, the shifting views and rhythms fuel fresh streams of thought. With AI acting as a thinking partner, inspiration comes more easily.

People often find joy in using slivers of time effectively. I still remember memorizing English vocabulary from flashcards during my morning commute. Now, those slivers have become prime creative time. Professionals are processing emails, organizing tasks and clearing out their inboxes before even arriving at the office. AI-enabled features like email summarization and draft replies are turning the dream of "inbox zero" into reality.

This shift raises new questions: if commuting time becomes work time, how should it be counted? If a worker completes a day's worth of tasks on the way to the office, do they start their off-hours as soon as they arrive?

Artificial intelligence technology. Businessman holding data of brain digital. Machine Learning business concept. [GETTY IMAGES]

The transformation happening inside our cars hints at a broader lifestyle change. Efficiency is no longer the only goal. Repetitive work is delegated to AI, while we reserve our cognitive energy for creative, expansive thinking. The outside world — its people, weather and scenery — becomes a source of input that drives original thought. The car, then, is no longer a vehicle alone, but a "drive-thru creativity lab" that fosters inspiration and productivity.

What happens when autonomous vehicles become commonplace? Will we return to keyboards? Or will we adapt to new interfaces — perhaps those based on brainwaves — to push creative work even further?

One thing is clear: as always, we will adapt to change. That future is uncertain, but it is as thrilling as it is unsettling.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.