South Korea is set to invest a significant 50.4 billion won ($33.5 million) over the coming five years to spearhead the development of core artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for advanced humanoid robots. This ambitious initiative, announced by the science ministry, will involve collaboration with leading universities and local technology companies, aiming to position the nation at the forefront of global robotics innovation.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) officially launched this pivotal project with its inaugural meeting held at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) in Seoul. This launch signifies a concrete step towards realizing South Korea’s vision for future AI robotics.
This comprehensive program, spearheaded by KIST and scheduled to continue until 2030, forms a crucial component of the government’s broader “K-Moonshot” initiative. Launched earlier this year, the K-Moonshot project is dedicated to deeply integrating cutting-edge AI into various scientific and technological research and development endeavors across the nation.
Key industry players are integral to this plan. LG Electronics Inc., alongside WIRobotics, an innovative local wearable robot startup, will focus on developing advanced robot platforms and scalable humanoid robot models designed for mass production. This collaboration aims to bring sophisticated AI robotics into widespread use.
Furthermore, a consortium of prominent research institutions, including major local universities and LG AI Research, will collaborate on creating a sophisticated AI model. This advanced model is intended to empower humanoid robots with the ability to comprehensively process and understand diverse data streams, encompassing visual, physical, verbal, and behavioral information.
Powering these next-generation robots will be cutting-edge solid-state batteries, specially developed by LG Energy Solution Ltd. This integration promises enhanced performance and longevity for the robotic systems.
Crucially, robots emerging from this project will undergo rigorous testing at real-world sites such as hospitals and nursing facilities. These trials will verify their capability to perform long-term, complex tasks and effectively provide support for humans, ensuring their practical utility and reliability in critical environments.
