KT, KAIST, and Dime Research to Commercialize Dark Factory... Realizing a Physical AI Environment

Bringing Together AI, Robotics, and Communication Capabilities
Building a K-Physical AI Ecosystem

On September 8, KT announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development and demonstration of physical artificial intelligence (AI) technology with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Dime Research.

From the left, Youngjae Jang, CEO of Dime Research, Seongyul Choi, Vice President of Research at KAIST, and Sangwon Park, Executive Vice President of KT AX Division, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement. Courtesy of KT

This collaboration was initiated as the three organizations discussed joint business strategies during the second phase of the "Physical AI Alliance" program led by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

The core area of cooperation is the commercialization of the Dark Factory platform—a project to develop and demonstrate an AI-based unmanned and automation platform to enable autonomous manufacturing environments. The three organizations will jointly participate for five years, centered on the Ministry of Science and ICT’s "2026 Collaborative Intelligence Physical AI-Based Software (SW) Platform Research and Development Ecosystem Formation Project."

The primary focus is to develop manufacturing process autonomy technology by leveraging the logistics and manufacturing robot control platforms as well as robot technologies held by KAIST and Dime Research. They also plan to establish a testbed similar to an actual industrial site to expand the range of applicable manufacturing sectors.

KT will provide a data-driven operational platform for integrated management of robots and AI systems. By utilizing edge AI, which processes data close to manufacturing sites, as well as ultra-high-speed and ultra-low-latency networks, KT will support robots to make real-time decisions and take action.

KT will also contribute simulation technology for verifying robot performance and AI agent-based system integration capabilities. Through this, the goal is to realize a physical AI environment in which robots can recognize their surroundings, make decisions based on the situation, and carry out tasks independently. Additionally, KT plans to foster professional talent and leverage the technology and demonstration experience gained in Korea to explore overseas markets.

Sangwon Park, Executive Vice President of KT’s AX Business Division, stated, "This agreement is significant in that it has established a physical AI collaboration framework encompassing research and development, demonstration, and commercialization."

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