Physical AI and AGI development are opening up unprecedented opportunities for manufacturing powerhouses like South Korea, according to leading AI scholars from the United States and China.
Speaking at the ‘2026 JoongAng Forum’ held in Seoul, Carnegie Mellon University Professor Ruslan Salakhutdinov and Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI) Director Zhu Songchun both emphasized South Korea’s unique position in the global AI landscape.
South Korea’s Advantage in Robotics and Physical AI
Professor Salakhutdinov identified robotics as the next frontier for AI development. He pointed out that while robot AI requires vast amounts of real-world data to operate effectively, gathering this data remains a significant hurdle globally. South Korea possesses a distinct advantage here due to its robust manufacturing infrastructure, which can serve as an ideal testing ground and data source for robot AI learning.
The Convergence of AGI and Semiconductor Power
Director Zhu Songchun highlighted that the ultimate goal of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is to integrate everything into a single chip. By combining AGI technologiesβwhich require fewer data and computational resources to perform diverse tasksβwith South Korea’s world-class semiconductor capabilities, the country can achieve massive synergy.
The Crucial Need for AI Control and Value Systems
Both experts also underscored the importance of safety and value alignment as AI rapidly advances. Salakhutdinov warned that as AI systems become smarter, predicting their behavior and maintaining control becomes increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, Zhu emphasized that AGI must develop social intelligence and a core ‘heart’ or value system, warning that unguided AGI could pose severe risks to society.
