The domestic physical artificial intelligence (AI) market is rapidly expanding into industrial sectors. While generative AI has primarily focused on text and image creation, physical AI is recognized as a key component of the next-generation AI market due to its ability to perceive real-world environments and make autonomous decisions.
According to a report released on June 1 by the Naljiri Research Group, the domestic physical AI market is projected to reach approximately 6.419 trillion won this year. In South Korea, which has a manufacturing-centric industrial structure, collaborative robots, humanoids, and autonomous robots are expected to drive the commercialization of physical AI.
The market is experiencing rapid growth. According to Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers, the related market is expected to grow from $7 billion (about 10.5 trillion won) in 2025 to $23 billion (approximately 34.8 trillion won) by 2030. During the same period, the humanoid market is anticipated to expand from $6 billion to $46 billion. The average annual growth rates are projected at 32.7% and 52.1%, significantly outpacing the existing industrial robot market's growth rate of 1.8%.
Among domestic physical AI startups, Neuromeka and Mind AI are leading the way. Neuromeka has shown strength in industrial automation based on collaborative robots, while Mind AI has secured core software competitiveness in physical AI through AI agents and world model technology.
Neuromeka is a domestic startup that provides both collaborative robots and automation solutions. Its competitive edge lies in its ability to offer system solutions tailored to client processes, going beyond simple robot manufacturing.
Last year, the company supplied collaborative robot solutions to Kyochon Chicken and is currently pursuing collaborative robot-based automation projects in manufacturing sites, including POSCO. It is particularly making strides in the specialized welding sector of the shipbuilding industry.
A flagship product is the OPTi-5, a cart-type welding robot supplied to HD Hyundai Robotics and applied at the HD Hyundai Samho shipyard. The OPTi-5 features sensor-based welding seam tracking technology that corrects welding path errors in real time and utilizes 3D cameras and touch sensors for automatic seam recognition.
Building on this foundation, Neuromeka is preparing to enter the humanoid market. A company representative stated, "We are currently undergoing KCs autonomous safety confirmation for a new humanoid robot we are developing. We aim to complete certification by mid-July, and once finalized, we will establish a legal safety framework for large-scale deployment of robots in manufacturing and industrial sites, paving the way for commercialization and orders."
Mind AI is a company that develops AI agents and physical AI solutions. Founded in 2014, it was listed on the KOSDAQ market in 2021.
Recently, it was selected as a participating organization in a national project supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute for Information and Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP). The company is involved in the "Development of World Foundation Model Technology for Learning Physical AI Models" project led by LG Electronics, focusing on enhancing autonomous driving and robot control solutions.
Mind AI's core strengths lie in its multimodal AI technology, which integrates and processes multi-sensory data such as visual and auditory inputs, and its world model technology that learns the physical laws of the real world. This enables the software to assist robots in understanding complex industrial environments in real time and responding to variables.
An industry insider noted, "While the initial physical AI market focused on implementing movements of robot hardware, the success of future developments will hinge on the sophistication of AI software that acts as the brain. The organic integration of hardware and software will be a key challenge for market establishment."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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