Domestic and international industry-academic-research entities are joining forces to usher in the 'Manufacturing AI Renaissance' era. A global collaborative body centered around Physical AI, the fusion technology of automated machines, robots, and software, is set to be officially launched next month.
According to the offices of National Assembly Members Chung Dong-young and Choi Hyung-du, and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), the 'Physical AI Global Alliance' will be launched in August. This alliance aims to preempt Physical AI technology, pioneer global business, and nurture related talent.
Physical AI operates in real-world physical environments in conjunction with robots or automated machines and is regarded as a key technology that will influence the future competitiveness of manufacturing. Securing Physical AI technology allows for the operation of intelligent factories capable of learning and decision-making, beyond mere factory automation.
The Physical AI Global Alliance will see active participation from corporations, universities, and research institutes in the Gyeongnam and Jeonbuk regions, which are industrial bases of Korea. Alliance officials explain that it will be an open coalition where industry, academia, and research work closely together with the goal of establishing Korea as a 'Physical AI leader.'
Related to this, by the end of last year, consortia were formed in Jeonbuk with Hyundai Motor Company, Naver, Rebellions, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Jeonbuk National University, and Sungkyunkwan University, and in Gyeongnam with Google Cloud Korea, SAP, Megazone Cloud, Visual Components, Gyeongnam National University, and Seoul National University. Additionally, corporations such as Algose, Telose, Cheotnoon, Nauori, HeadIT, MindBridge, and NZERO from Jeonbuk and KG Mobility, Shinsung Deltatech, GMB Korea, SAMHYUN, Hwaseung R&A, CTR, Samsong, and Corens from Gyeongnam are expected to participate.
The alliance will be organized with a strategic committee at its core, comprising four departments: specialized technology cooperation, standardization and ethical systems, demonstration and test, and talent nurturing, along with an advisory group and working groups. NIPA will handle the secretariat duties.
The launch of the alliance gained momentum with the allocation of related budgets. The 2025 second supplementary budget bill, including the budget for the Physical AI core technology PoC (proof of concept) project, recently passed the National Assembly's plenary session. The Physical AI budget allocated in the second supplementary budget is 42.6 billion won.
On this day, the offices of National Assembly Members Chung Dong-young and Choi Hyung-du held the '2025 Physical AI Global Alliance Colloquium' in the main conference room of the National Assembly Members' Hall and discussed strategies for securing Korea's Physical AI competitiveness and directions for securing Physical AI technology sovereignty.
Ryu Je-myung, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, noted in his congratulatory speech, "Physical AI is gaining attention as the 'game changer' of future AI technology following generative AI," while adding, "We will do our best to leap forward as one of the top three AI powerhouses through the development of core source technologies like Large Action Models (LAM) in Physical AI and securing related data."
Choi Hyung-du, the National Assembly Member who organized the event, said, "Korea, which possesses a significant amount of physical data (manufacturing data), must seize global leadership in Physical AI," adding that "the fate of Korea and the future of the younger generation depend on Physical AI."
The new government's policy support for Physical AI is also anticipated. Koo Yun-cheol, the nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Economics and Minister of Economy and Finance, said during the hearing of the Strategy and Finance Committee at the National Assembly on the 17th, "Although we were late to the AI competition, Korea has potential in applying AI to reality through 'Physical AI,'" and added, "I am willing to take a risk on this." It is reported that the Ministry of Science and ICT is considering a plan to allocate a related budget of 1.2 trillion won for next year.