South Korea Leads Competition for AI-Based Next-Generation Media Standards

South Korea Leads Global Standardization of Next-Generation AI Video Codecs
Over 600 Experts from 30 Countries Gather for Fierce Competition
Commercialization of AI Codecs Expected by 2030 to Revolutionize Media and Industry

South Korea is leading international standardization discussions regarding next-generation video codec technology based on artificial intelligence (AI).

The National Radio Research Agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on July 7 that, during the 47th International Standardization Meeting of the Multimedia Coding (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29) held at the Daejeon Convention Center from June 26 to July 6, South Korea led the standardization discussions on AI-based next-generation video codec technology by submitting more than 130 proposals.

This meeting brought together over 600 experts from about 30 countries, including domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Motor, as well as global big tech firms like Apple, Huawei, Nokia, and Qualcomm. It served as a fiercely competitive arena for securing leadership in next-generation technologies.

During the meeting, it was decided to develop standards incorporating AI technologies with the goal of commercializing them by 2030. These include next-generation video codecs, video compression optimized for AI video analysis, AI-based 3D spatial information compression, and Gaussian Splatting for implementing immersive virtual worlds.

While previous codecs simply compressed video according to predetermined rules, next-generation AI-based codecs maximize compression efficiency by understanding video content from data, preserving important information, and removing unnecessary information.

Once AI codecs are commercialized in 2030, individuals will be able to enjoy 8K ultra-high-definition streaming and immersive metaverse services with less data, while in the industrial sector, they are expected to accelerate the realization of AI-based future services such as autonomous driving, smart cities, and telemedicine.

Jung Changrim, head of the National Radio Research Agency, stated, "We expect that the commercialization of AI codecs will mark a major turning point in media technology," adding, "We will work to create an effective media ecosystem so that technologies developed in Korea can be applied to real products and services, bringing innovation across the industry."