[Edaily Reporter Shin Yeong-bin ] "It will not be easy for companies to open up their manufacturing sites and allow external parties to utilize that data."

Lee Jeong-ho, CEO of Rainbow Robotics(277810), pointed to the limitations of data sharing between companies as a stumbling block to the expansion of the AI and robotics ecosystem during the “National Assembly Forum on Strategies for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics Industry Ecosystem,” hosted by Rep. Lee Eun-ju of the Democratic Party of Korea at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 21st.

CEO Lee suggested that, since the industry tends to develop around large corporations that possess robotics and AI technologies as well as actual application sites, the government should utilize public facilities under its control to establish a foundation that allows diverse companies to participate.

CEO Lee explained that for AI robots to be used at customer sites, four key players—robot manufacturers, AI companies, system integrators (SIs), and client companies—must collaborate. He emphasized that the key issue in this process is who can secure and utilize data, which is the core of AI.

He noted that end-user companies possessing on-site data will seek to maintain control over that data, and it will not be easy for them to open it up to external companies.

“The organization utilizing the data will want to retain control over it,” he said, adding, “Ultimately, the only environment capable of sustaining such a platform in manufacturing settings is a vertically integrated space.” In other words, companies that have secured their own production facilities and data will inevitably hold an advantage.

As a solution, he proposed the active utilization of government-owned facilities and resources. He explained that various sites—including national research institutes, national universities, and public administrative agencies, as well as logistics providers such as post offices, hospitals, and power plants—could serve as a foundation for the growth of the AI robotics industry.

He emphasized that the government must go beyond merely planning projects and providing funding to directly provide sites for practical application. The intent is to supplement problems that are difficult to solve through voluntary private-sector cooperation alone with the resources and execution capabilities of the public sector.

He also urged that the fields and forms of robot application be examined from a diverse range of perspectives. This means broadening the discussion beyond a focus on manufacturing to include the service sector and moving away from the assumption that humanoids are suitable for all tasks.

Citing “Dark Factory,” an unmanned manufacturing facility, CEO Lee stated, “Humanoids may not be the only form,” adding, “We need to consider a wider variety of platform designs.”

He explained that while the advantages of humanoids may be evident in living spaces designed for humans, such spaces do not necessarily have to be manufacturing sites. He believed that opportunities for utilizing robots should be identified in specialized service areas—such as healthcare and smart farming—as well as in everyday services.

He emphasized that the process of assessing social acceptance must go hand in hand with technological development. He noted that as robots become more autonomous through AI, discussions surrounding safety and liability for accidents will become increasingly important. He also proposed deploying robots in government agencies or on university campuses to observe how the public reacts to them.

While agreeing with the approach of having large corporations open up their technologies for other companies to utilize, CEO Lee stressed that the government’s role must also be strengthened.

“Rather than merely providing support from behind the scenes or offering funding and limited policy assistance, the government must take the lead,” he said. “I hope the government will actively step forward to ensure that its various resources and facilities can serve as real-world testing grounds for this industry.”