Ministry of Science and ICT Holds Physical AI Industry-Academia-Research Roundtable
Yoo Taejoon, CEO of MaumAI: "Securing High-Quality Physical AI Data Is Crucial"
Minister Jeong Dongyoung Makes Surprise Appearance: "Success of Lee Jaemyung Administration Hinges on Physical AI"
As the era of physical artificial intelligence (AI) begins, there has been a proposal to establish an integrated data platform for physical AI. This is based on the need to secure high-quality simulation data for training physical AI.
On the afternoon of July 30 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, Yoo Taejoon, CEO of MaumAI, stated at the "Physical AI Industry-Academia-Research Roundtable," "How much high-quality data can be secured is extremely important for fostering physical AI," adding, "A simulator platform is needed to build physical data." Yoo presented comprehensive support measures necessary for fostering physical AI, including research and development, demonstration, and talent cultivation.
Ryu Jemyung, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, is taking a commemorative photo with participants at the "Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Industry-Academia-Research Meeting" held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 30th. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT
Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence that interacts with the physical world and can act proactively on-site like humans. It makes decisions and acts directly based on real-world information, with humanoid robots and autonomous vehicles being representative examples of physical AI.
A simulator platform is necessary for physical AI in order to train the AI. Just as large language models (LLMs) operate by learning text, physical AI must learn data from the real world, and it is essential to gather high-quality data in one place to enhance model performance.
Yoo explained, "Data created in digital twins and empirical data generated in the real world both improve the performance of physical AI models," and added, "We need to build an integrated platform for generating, verifying, and utilizing data, which is beyond the capacity of individual companies."
He also emphasized the need for platform construction from the perspective of sovereign AI. Unlike some LLMs that are released as open source, there is little likelihood that physical AI will be open sourced. Yoo reiterated that because collecting behavioral data for physical AI is expensive, the possibility of open source is relatively low, so the private sector and government must work together to secure high-quality data.
Yoo proposed building an integrated data center for physical AI, securing 100,000 hours of robot behavioral data, and standardization in connection with national AI development projects. He concluded, "With the advent of the physical AI era, Korea can become a first mover, and this is a golden time that must not be missed," emphasizing, "Physical AI is the ultimate technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and related data will become the core of national competitiveness."
Ryu Jemyung, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, is speaking at the 'Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Industry-Academia-Research Meeting' held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 30th. Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT
Ryu Jemyoung, Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "Physical AI is a next-generation general-purpose AI technology that can revolutionize not only manufacturing and logistics, but also agriculture, healthcare, defense, and other aspects of our daily lives and industries. For Korea to become one of the top three AI powers, it is important to promote convergence and expansion in key sectors such as manufacturing, together with physical AI." He added, "As we take the first steps in creating a new world of physical AI, we must pool our wisdom so that, together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and other relevant ministries and the ecosystem, we can take the lead in global competition."
The roundtable, hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, was organized to secure technological competitiveness in domestic physical AI and discuss support measures among industry, academia, and research institutions. The Ministry recently secured a budget of 42.6 billion KRW for proof-of-concept (POC) of core physical AI technologies through the government's second supplementary budget.
In addition to Yoo, the roundtable featured presentations by Kim Wook, Innovation and Global PM at the Institute for Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP), and Jang Youngjae, professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Other participants included Jang Hayoung, CEO of Theramind, Oh Changheun, CEO of Axissoft, Lee Seongho, CEO of CMES, and Park Injun, CEO of Arika, as well as academic experts, who discussed strategies for fostering physical AI.
Meanwhile, at the end of the roundtable, Minister of Unification Jeong Dongyoung made a surprise appearance. Jeong, who is also an incumbent lawmaker on the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, launched the "AI Strategy Forum" last year with Choi Hyungdoo, a member of the People Power Party. Jeong is also known to have led the process of increasing the budget for physical AI in the second supplementary budget.
Jeong stated, "The Lee Jaemyung administration has staked its future on AI, especially physical AI," adding, "Physical AI will determine the success or failure of the Lee Jaemyung administration." He urged industry, academia, and research stakeholders to do their utmost to help Korea join the ranks of leading AI nations through physical AI.
Jeong Dongyoung, Minister of Unification, is speaking at the "Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Industry-Academia-Research Council" held on the afternoon of the 30th at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Lee Myunghwan
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