KT Leading with 'Robot Platform', "Launching Service Robots... Will Elevate Domestic Industry Level"

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] KT has unveiled a business vision to enhance the value of robots by adding innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and 5G based on its ‘Robot Platform’.

On the 27th, KT held a ‘Meeting with Promising Robot Companies’ event at Gongument Cheongdam Branch in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, attended by experts from various fields in the robotics sector.

At the event, Lee Sang-ho, head of KT AI Robot Business Group, stated, "The global robot market is expected to see remarkable growth in four sectors: electric vehicles (EV), medical and healthcare, logistics, and retail & food and beverage," and predicted that the robot market, currently focused on industrial robots, will be led by service robots starting in 2025. He also emphasized, "KT will raise the level of the domestic robot market through service robots."

The core of KT’s robot business proposed by Lee is the ‘platform.’ The ‘KT Robot Platform’ combines innovative technologies such as AI and 5G and communication infrastructure with robot manufacturers in various fields including lifestyle, hobbies, delivery, security, and industry to provide robot services needed by public institutions, enterprises, and general consumers.

KT plans to gradually introduce various service robots centered on three domains: delivery, care & food tech, and logistics. Additionally, it aims to continuously expand its business scale by targeting niche markets such as disinfection, sterilization, and barista services.

The panel discussion included Professor Dennis Hong of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a world-renowned robotics authority and KT advisor; Professor Kim Beom-jun of KAIST; and Yoon Dae-gyu, Executive Director of Hyundai Robotics. Professor Dennis Hong mentioned that Verizon, the largest telecommunications company in the United States, acquired a Swiss 5G robot startup, stating, "In the future, robots will enter daily life more deeply through communication networks like 5G."

Since strategically investing 50 billion KRW in Hyundai Robotics last year, KT has been pursuing multifaceted cooperation with Hyundai Heavy Industries Group in areas such as robotics and smart factories. Song Jae-ho, Vice President and Head of KT AI/DX Convergence Business Division, said, "We will maximize the value of service robots centered on the ‘Robot Platform’ and elevate the Korean robotics industry to a higher level."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.