The global artificial intelligence (AI) hegemony race is shifting from generative AI to physical AI centered on humanoid robots and other technologies. With projections that the global humanoid market will grow to $5 trillion by 2050, experts forecast that this year will mark the inaugural year of physical AI expansion. However, as robot deployment in industrial settings becomes a reality, social controversies are also expanding, making societal efforts for coexistence with robots urgently needed.
In an interview with Seoul Economic Daily on the 23rd, Professor Lim Sung-soo of Kyung Hee University's Department of Mechanical Engineering said, "The utilization of robots and AI is an unavoidable wave of change tied to national survival and manufacturing hegemony," adding, "Being trapped only in threat rhetoric is tantamount to voluntarily abandoning national competitiveness by going against this change."
Professor Lim, who is also a co-founder of "Safetics," a startup specializing in robot "safety intelligence," stated, "Coexistence between robots and humans in industrial settings as well as daily life is the only alternative to address the deepening population aging and labor shortage," adding, "What we need now is not separating robots and AI from humans, but finding solutions to safely control these technologies to dramatically improve our quality of life and maximize productivity."
He emphasized, "As robot deployment expands in industrial settings, 'who has safer technology' rather than 'who has superior technology' will become a company's core competitiveness."
Q: The era of collaborative work between robots and humans is rapidly approaching.
A: Coexistence between humans and robots is now an unavoidable future. Robots working alongside humans beyond safety fences means maximizing manufacturing efficiency and eliminating spatial constraints in industrial settings. Robots will not only liberate humans from simple repetitive tasks but will become essential partners that help solve various social problems and dramatically improve quality of life. The task given to us is to build an "intelligent safety" system at the human level where robots can understand surrounding environments and human intentions in real-time, predict dangers, and respond—going beyond "reactive safety" that relies on physical isolation and simple stop commands.
Q: Social controversies including union resistance are growing over robot deployment in industrial settings.
A: As was the case during past technological revolutions, rigid reactions from industrial settings to new technology adoption are not unprecedented. Labor market readjustment due to advanced robots like humanoids appears somewhat inevitable. To resolve these issues without conflict, we must simultaneously address two core problems: "employment anxiety" and "safety anxiety." Social investments must accompany this, including preemptive retraining investment to respond to inevitable changes and support for transitioning to creative, high-value-added work. Additionally, disaster risks must be controlled through advanced "intelligent safety" technology so that robots can be accepted as "human safety partners" that can share workspace.
Q: There are concerns that various problems will arise on-site as collaborative work with robots becomes routine.
A: More important than the safety of individual robots is "how robots are used." Even if the robot itself is safe, dangers can arise depending on the tools the robot holds or work methods. That's why evaluating the safety of the entire process system is most important. It's similar context to how even a safety-certified car can have different outcomes depending on how it's used.
Q: Some view that conflicts between workers and robots, so-called "labor-robot" conflicts, may emerge.
A: Factory deployment of robots is a historic signal flare for readjusting "the nature of human labor." It's a major inflection point similar to how physical labor transitioned to managerial or service jobs during the automation era. If we exclude robots, there will inevitably be limits to productivity and solving social problems. However, it's also clear that robots are difficult to operate efficiently without human cooperation. Labor-robot conflicts that may arise in the robot utilization process can be wisely resolved through intelligent safety technology and preemptive job readjustment.
Q: There are considerable concerns viewing robots and AI as threats to humans.
A: Robot and AI utilization is already an unavoidable wave of change tied to national survival and manufacturing hegemony. Viewing robots only as threats to humans is tantamount to voluntarily abandoning national competitiveness. What we must focus on is not separating robots and AI from humans, but finding solutions for how to intelligently and safely control these technologies to dramatically improve our quality of life and maximize productivity. Falling behind in robot competition means losing national manufacturing competitiveness.
Q: As physical AI development accelerates, the need for related regulatory improvements is also growing.
A: The development of AI and robots is not simply a technology competition but a process of establishing principles of trust and cooperation. Before or during new technology adoption, stakeholders and experts must gather to create safety standards in a timely manner. We must lay the foundation for the robot era through "preemptive standardization." Additionally, beyond simply complying with international standards, we must proactively establish new safety evaluation criteria for AI-integrated humanoids and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and propose them to the international community. Laws and regulations must also be reorganized based on these standards. This effort is necessary not only for securing market leadership but also for buying strategic time for our companies and society to respond and prepare for changes first.
Q: Isn't robot safety another burden for companies already constrained by the Serious Accidents Punishment Act?
A: Quite the opposite. Robot safety is not a business threat but a key that opens innovation opportunities. Just as automobiles were finally permitted high-speed driving and became central to our daily lives through securing safety technology, robots can also be utilized at maximum efficiency alongside humans outside safety fences once "intelligent safety technology" is secured. Companies that wisely solve robot safety technology first will dramatically reduce serious accident risks while securing productivity maximization and global market competitive advantage. Safety is not regulation but the most powerful opportunity and competitiveness.
Q: Many point out that regulations blocking robot industry development still remain.