South Korean Researchers Take Lead in International Standardization of Physical AI

[Financial News] South Korean researchers are taking a leading role in the international standardization arena, where global common rules for physical AI are being established, in an effort to secure a leading position in global technology.
The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on the 20th that it had led the establishment of the ITU Focus Group on Embodied AI for Multimedia Technologies (FG-EAI) under the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T). It is the first such group among formal international standardization bodies to hold dedicated discussions on physical AI. ETRI also secured key leadership positions, including the vice chairmanship and chairs of core working groups.
In particular, ETRI chairs the "Foundational Architecture and Terminology" working group, which addresses the basic concepts and structure of physical AI, and the "Vertical Industry Applications" working group, which covers real-world applications in manufacturing, mobility and healthcare. This is seen as establishing a foundation for South Korea to take a leading role in discussions on the basic framework for international physical AI standards and their industrial applications.
ETRI has been pursuing related international standardization activities since the second half of last year in response to the global spread of physical AI technologies. In December last year, ETRI and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) proposed to ITU-T the scope of activities and operating framework for a dedicated physical AI standardization discussion body. Based on the proposal, they led the establishment in February this year of FG-EAI under ITU-T Study Group 21 (SG21).
ITU-T is the body responsible for international standards in telecommunications under the United Nations (UN)-affiliated International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Experts from governments, companies, research institutes and universities around the world participate in discussing and developing international standards for information and communications technologies. A Focus Group is an open international collaborative body that identifies technologies and standardization issues needed before international standards are developed in emerging technology fields and sets the direction for future standardization.
FG-EAI analyzes technologies needed for physical AI and industrial use cases and identifies standardization issues that could be developed into international standards. China holds the FG-EAI chairmanship, while Dr. Kang Shin-gak of ETRI was appointed vice chair alongside an expert from India.
Accordingly, South Korea can now participate actively from the early stage of deciding which technologies and fields in physical AI should be standardized internationally. As vice chair of FG-EAI, ETRI led the development of a detailed organizational structure comprising nine working groups (WGs) and 11 task groups (TGs) to facilitate systematic discussions on physical AI technologies.

[email protected] Yeon Ji-an Reporter