AI Forms Hypotheses and Robots Experiment 24/7... Building an 'Autonomous Laboratory' Ecosystem

Over 80 Organizations Including Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and SK hynix Join Forces
Building Core Infrastructure for K-Moonshot Initiative

An ecosystem of 'autonomous laboratories', where artificial intelligence (AI) forms hypotheses, and robots and experimental equipment conduct experiments 24 hours a day without human intervention—with the AI then learning from the results—is now taking shape in earnest. Over 80 organizations, including Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, SK hynix, universities, and research institutes, will jointly spearhead everything from technology development and standardization to pilot programs.

On August 11, the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) held an inauguration ceremony for the 'Autonomous Laboratory Industry–Academia–Research Consultative Body' at El Tower in Seoul. This marks the first time in Korea that a national-level consultative body for autonomous laboratories, involving participation from industry, universities, and research institutes, has been officially organized.

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. A robot is conducting a materials synthesis experiment at the autonomous laboratory 'A-Lab' of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States. A-Lab is a research facility that combines AI and robotics to automate everything from experiment design to synthesis and analysis. Photo by Marilyn Sargent/Berkeley Lab

An autonomous laboratory (Self-Driving Lab, SDL) is a next-generation research platform that interfaces AI, robotics, and experimental equipment to minimize human intervention, and enables automated, iterative experimentation. The AI sets the experimental conditions, the robots conduct the experiments, and the results are analyzed to create new experimental conditions in a closed loop.

The government explains that continuous 24-hour experimentation and the ability to explore vast ranges of experimental conditions can shorten research timelines that used to take years to just a few months, while also improving reproducibility and efficiency. Use of these laboratories is expanding mainly in the fields of materials, bio, and pharmaceuticals, with related investments also taking place in the United States and Europe.

Autonomous laboratories are expected to serve as a core research infrastructure for the government’s ‘K-Moonshot’ challenge-driven R&D project. The goal is to establish a closed-loop 'hypothesis–experiment–analysis–re-hypothesis' research structure, in which AI generates a hypothesis, verifies it experimentally, learns from the results, and then generates new hypotheses.

Diverse Equipment and Data Formats... National Standards and Shared Infrastructure to be Established

Although adoption of autonomous laboratories is increasing in cutting-edge research fields such as bio and materials in Korea, there have been concerns that differences in equipment, data formats, and operational methods between research institutions make inter-laboratory collaboration difficult.

The new consultative body aims to address this by working on establishing autonomous laboratory technology, platforms, and standards; building shared infrastructures and reference autonomous labs; accumulating data; conducting demonstrations for client companies; and expanding into the private sector.

Yoo Sung Jeong, a professor at Seoul National University, will chair the consultative body, with the National Center for AI in Science (NAIS) and KBSI serving as joint secretariats. Participating organizations include equipment suppliers such as Park Systems and HB Solution, 50 client companies including the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology and SK hynix, and about 30 universities and research institutes.

In particular, a data accumulation and quality management system will be established so that research data produced in autonomous laboratories can immediately be used for AI learning. Communication protocols and data formats between research instruments, as well as operating frameworks, will be standardized to create a foundation for linking autonomous laboratories operated by different organizations.

Geum-Sook Hwang, acting president of KBSI, stated, "Based on KBSI’s experience in operating and supporting research instruments, we will contribute to preparing a common operational system and standard for autonomous laboratories, as well as to their broader adoption at research sites." Yong Kyun Yoo, Director of the National Center for AI in Science, also said, "We will establish a data accumulation and quality management system so that data produced in autonomous laboratories can immediately be used for AI learning, making this a nationally recognized AI learning asset."

Koo Hyuckchae, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, remarked, "Autonomous laboratories will serve as essential infrastructure supporting national missions such as K-Moonshot, accelerating both scientific discovery and verification. The government, funded research institutes, universities, and the industrial sector will work together to build a domestic ecosystem for autonomous laboratories, and we will actively provide policy and institutional support."

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