As the market for Physical AI, which enables artificial intelligence to perceive and interact with the real world, continues to grow, Naver Labs and Lotte Innovate are enhancing their related businesses. Naver Labs is focusing on building infrastructure that allows robots to navigate spaces, while Lotte Innovate is accelerating the commercialization of service robots and humanoids based on its retail and logistics operations.
Naver Labs is concentrating on creating a robot-friendly environment using spatial data technologies such as digital twins, autonomous robots, and high-precision indoor mapping. This infrastructure-based Physical AI strategy supports AI in understanding and moving through real spaces.
The key lies in accurately replicating real-world spaces in digital form. Naver Labs is advancing technology that allows robots to autonomously navigate buildings and recognize their surroundings, relying on high-precision indoor maps and location recognition technologies. This foundation enables AI and robots to understand and move through spaces without human intervention.
At Naver's second office, known as '1784', autonomous robots are already handling in-house deliveries and logistics tasks. The integration of robots, cloud technology, and digital twin technology has successfully created an environment where AI operates smoothly in real spaces.
Lotte Innovate is focusing on the commercialization of AI robots in retail and logistics. Its unique strength lies in the ability to immediately apply AI robots in real-world settings by leveraging the vast infrastructure of its group affiliates. With diverse business sectors including retail, logistics, hotels, and entertainment, the company can quickly validate tailored Physical AI services across industries.
Lotte Innovate is expanding its Physical AI business around its integrated AI platform, 'iMember'. This platform combines generative AI, vision AI, and voice AI with group service data to provide customized services. Recently, the company has enhanced the AI agent functionality, further extending its business into the realm of Physical AI that recognizes and interacts with real spaces.
A notable example is the humanoid robot 'Roy', which is linked to convenience stores. Utilizing vision AI, Roy can autonomously recognize products on shelves and guide customers with information about product locations and details. It can learn new location information even when product arrangements change. Currently, a proof of concept (PoC) is being conducted in the first-floor store of the Seoul headquarters.
At the recent World IT Show (WIS), Roy demonstrated its ability to accurately recognize snacks and beverages in a simulated convenience store environment and respond to customer inquiries. For instance, when a user requests, "Recommend a snack I can buy for 6,000 won," the robot analyzes the shelf with vision AI and provides recommendations based on price and product information, including their locations. It can also assist in finding specific product locations or checking for promotional items at a practical level.
Lotte Innovate recently showcased Roy at the Lotte World Tower Sky Run event, demonstrating its humanoid technology. The company plans to expand its application to actual group locations, such as Lotte Mart and logistics centers, to enhance roles in inventory management, product recommendations, and logistics automation.
The company is also accelerating efforts to secure global-level AI technology competitiveness. In February, it obtained the international standard certification for AI system quality, 'ISO/IEC 25058', and recently followed up with the certification for the international standard for AI management systems, 'ISO/IEC 42001'.
Industry insiders note, "The Physical AI market has transcended simple robot development. Various technological domains, including spatial data, autonomous driving, vision AI, and logistics automation, are organically combining, leading to rapid market expansion."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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