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Arthur I. Cyr davekim0807@ajupress.com

Celltrion's Zymfentra gains preferred drug status on major U.S. healthcare formulary SEOUL, January 19 (AJP) - Celltrion's Zymfentra, the world's only subcutaneous infliximab treatment, has secured preferred drug status on the formulary of Evernorth Health Services, a subsidiary of U.S. healthcare giant Cigna Group. The listing marks a significant milestone for the South Korean biopharmaceutical company as it seeks to accelerate sales of the autoimmune disease treatment in the world's largest pharmaceutical market. Cigna operates Express Scripts, one of the three largest pharmacy benefit managers in the United States, and Cigna Healthcare, a top-10 U.S. insurer. Celltrion's U.S. unit had previously secured a contract with Express Scripts to list Zymfentra as a preferred medication. The Evernorth listing builds on that foundation, allowing Cigna-affiliated insurance subscribers to access Zymfentra without the complex administrative procedures typically required for prescription medications. Since its U.S. launch in 2024, Zymfentra has recorded an average monthly prescription growth rate of 31 percent. Institutional prescriptions, including those from hospitals, surged nearly fivefold in December compared with the same month a year earlier. "With both Zymfentra and Inflectra now listed on major U.S. insurer formularies, we expect sales growth to accelerate sharply based on our product competitiveness and prescriber preference," a Celltrion official said. Celltrion plans to leverage its expanding autoimmune disease portfolio, including recently launched biosimilars Steqeyma and Avtozma, to capture greater market share in the United States through intensified marketing efforts. 2026-01-19 10:29:36
LG, SK, Upstage shortlisted for Korea's sovereign AI model SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - LG AI Research, SK Telecom and Upstage have passed the first evaluation round of South Korea’s competition-style national project to select two homogeneous artificial intelligence foundation models by the end of the year. According to results announced Thursday by the Ministry of Science and ICT, three of the five contenders — Naver Cloud, NC AI, Upstage, SK Telecom and LG AI Research — advanced directly based on aggregate scores, while one additional bidder will be reinstated through a secondary evaluation. The rematch will be held between Naver Cloud and NC AI. The ministry disclosed the results at a briefing at the Government Complex Seoul, chaired by Second Vice Minister Ryu Je-myung. The government-led project was launched under the banner of “leaping into the world’s top three AI powers,” positioning it as a flagship pillar of South Korea’s sovereign AI strategy. The program provides state support for GPU resources, data access and engineering costs, with the goal of developing domestically controlled foundation models capable of achieving at least 95 percent of leading global AI benchmark performance. Under the project guidelines, eligible models are defined as those designed and pre-trained domestically, excluding derivative systems fine-tuned from foreign base models. The ministry explained that the first-round evaluation combined AI benchmark tests — quantitative measures of technical performance — with expert and user assessments to comprehensively evaluate model performance, real-world applicability, cost efficiency relative to model size, and potential spillover effects on the domestic and global AI ecosystem. In the benchmark evaluation, LG AI Research recorded the highest score with 33.6 out of 40 points. The company also topped the expert review with 31.6 out of 35 points and achieved a perfect score of 25 out of 25 in the user evaluation. Based on the combined results, LG AI Research, Naver Cloud, SK Telecom and Upstage initially ranked within the top four teams. Naver Cloud ranked within the top four in combined scoring, it was judged not to meet the requirements for designation as an independent AI foundation model. The ministry said the first-round evaluation combined AI benchmark testing, expert assessment and user evaluation, examining model performance, real-world applicability, cost efficiency relative to model size, and spillover effects on the domestic and global AI ecosystem. 2026-01-15 15:25:54
After EV slowdown, Korea's battery giants pivot to robots via solid-state cells SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - After years of EV-led expansion, South Korea's battery makers are confronting a harsher reality as global electric-vehicle sales cool and clean-energy strategies fragment across regions. In response, the industry is doubling down on solid-state batteries — betting that humanoid robots, rather than cars, may offer an earlier and more reliable route to commercialization. POSCO Future M, the battery materials arm of POSCO Group, said this week it has begun R&D on solid-state battery materials specifically targeting humanoid robots and industrial robotics. Testing of the materials is now under way, with commercialization planned between 2028 and 2030. Solid-state batteries replace liquid electrolytes with solid materials, improving safety, energy density and charging speed compared with conventional lithium-ion cells. By eliminating risks such as electrolyte leakage, thermal runaway and dendrite penetration, the technology also allows for lighter battery packs — features increasingly critical for mobile robots operating for extended periods. The global solid-state battery market was valued at $98.96 million in 2024 and is projected to surge to $1.36 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 41.6 percent, according to Fortune Business Insights. Asia-Pacific accounted for 43.8 percent of the market last year. Samsung SDI leads commercialization push Among sulfide-based solid-state battery developers, Samsung SDI is widely seen as leading the commercialization race. The company aims to bring solid-state cells with energy density of 900 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) to market by 2027 and is currently supplying samples produced at its Suwon pilot line to customers for performance verification. "Samsung SDI's earnings appear to be passing through their weakest phase," said Kwon Joon-soo, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities. "Short-term momentum remains intact, supported by expectations for energy storage system orders and solid-state battery investment." Last October, Samsung SDI signed a tripartite agreement with Germany's BMW and U.S.-based Solid Power to jointly validate automotive solid-state battery technology. The partners plan to install the cells in BMW's next-generation test vehicles as a final verification step. SK On has set its commercialization target for 2029 — one year ahead of LG Energy Solution's 2030 goal. The company completed a solid-state battery pilot plant at its Daejeon R&D center last year and is now accelerating development. The facility will produce prototype cells for customer supply while evaluating performance and quality. SK On is developing solid-state batteries with energy density of 800 Wh/L, with a long-term target of reaching 1,000 Wh/L. EV headwinds force strategic reset The pivot comes as the EV sector — once the industry's primary growth engine — faces mounting headwinds. LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On are all projected to post operating losses in the fourth quarter of 2025 as automakers scale back electrification plans and cancel battery orders. The combined value of terminated contracts in late 2025 alone exceeded 17 trillion won ($11.5 billion). Ford Motor canceled a 9.6 trillion won battery supply agreement with LG Energy Solution in December, followed days later by the termination of a separate 3.9 trillion won deal with Freudenberg Battery Power Systems. Cathode materials maker L&F disclosed that a 3.83 trillion won high-nickel cathode supply contract signed with Tesla in February 2023 had been reduced to just 9.73 million won — effectively nullifying the deal — amid shifting EV market conditions. Robots emerge as early solid-state adopters By contrast, humanoid robotics is rapidly evolving from a speculative concept into a commercial market. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas this month, Chinese firms accounted for 21 of the 38 exhibitors in the humanoid robotics category. Shanghai-based AgiBot led global shipments with an estimated 5,168 units in 2025, while Unitree Robotics now produces more than 10,000 units per month of its Go2 quadruped robot. Chinese EV maker XPeng's next-generation IRON humanoid robot is equipped with an all-solid-state battery, while Shenzhen-based Engine AI's T800 model features what the company describes as the industry's first dedicated high-performance solid-state cell, capable of four to five hours of continuous operation. As both technologies mature, the convergence of solid-state batteries and humanoid robotics is accelerating toward commercial deployment. Korea joins race via alliance strategy Hyundai Motor Group unveiled production plans for its Atlas humanoid robot, developed by subsidiary Boston Dynamics, at the same exhibition. The automaker aims to produce 30,000 units annually by 2028, with initial deployment focused on parts sequencing at its Metaplant America facility in Georgia. LG Electronics introduced CLOiD, a home-assistant robot with articulated arms and five-fingered hands, outlining its vision for a "Zero Labor Home." Doosan Group and HL Group also showcased robotics platforms at the event. Amid surging demand, all three Korean battery makers have joined the K-Humanoid Alliance, a government-backed consortium launched in April to develop high-density, long-life and high-safety batteries tailored for humanoid robots. The alliance plans to invest 1 trillion won by 2030, with LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On leading battery development alongside AI chipmakers Rebellions and DeepX. For Korea's battery giants, solid-state technology represents both a hedge and a necessity. As China tightens its grip on conventional batteries through scale and cost advantages, the race to commercialize next-generation cells for emerging applications may determine which players remain relevant in the post-EV era. 2026-01-14 17:02:05
Korea's indigenous AI model project faces debate over use of open-source components SEOUL, January 14 (AJP) - South Korea's government-backed initiative to develop an indigenous artificial intelligence foundation model is facing scrutiny over whether the use of open-source components from Chinese firms aligns with the project's definition of "sovereign AI." The Ministry of Science and ICT is set to announce Thursday the results of the first evaluation round for bidders in the national AI foundation model project. Of the five contenders — Naver Cloud, NC AI, Upstage, SK Telecom and LG AI Research — one will be eliminated in the initial cut. The project was launched under the banner of "Leaping into the world's top three AI powers," with the government positioning it as a sovereign AI development effort. Eligible models were defined as those developed domestically from design through pre-training, excluding derivative models fine-tuned from foreign systems. The government is funding GPU resources, data and engineering costs, aiming to produce a model capable of reaching 95 percent of global AI benchmark performance. However, questions have emerged over whether some contenders' development approaches meet the project's sovereignty criteria. The debate began after Upstage was accused of using inference code from Chinese AI firm Zhipu AI, based on similarities identified by industry observers. Scrutiny later extended to Naver Cloud, which acknowledged incorporating Alibaba's Qwen 2.5-VL 32B vision encoder and weights, and to SK Telecom, which has faced claims that it used inference code linked to Chinese firm DeepSeek. Upstage and SK Telecom have stated that inference code is separate from the AI model itself. They said such code functions as a deployment or distribution layer that improves compatibility and usability, without affecting core model training or capabilities. The inference code used by Upstage is released under the MIT license, while SK Telecom's code falls under the Apache 2.0 license. Both licenses allow free use, modification and commercial distribution with attribution. The Apache 2.0 license additionally includes explicit patent grants and disclosure requirements for major modifications. Naver Cloud's case has drawn closer scrutiny because it involved model weights. The company used Alibaba's Qwen 2.5-VL 32B vision encoder and weights, with analysis showing that its vision encoder weights share a cosine similarity of 99.5 percent with the Qwen series. The 32B model is released under the Apache 2.0 license and can be freely used, while the larger 72B version requires a license request to Alibaba if monthly active users exceed 100 million. Naver Cloud has said it possesses comparable in-house technology and selected Qwen for ecosystem compatibility and system optimization, adding that it could switch to proprietary technology if licensing thresholds become applicable. Some industry participants note that the ministry's project guidelines, announced in July, specify domestic model design and pre-training but do not explicitly require "from-scratch" development without any external components. An industry expert said that while the use of open-source technology is common and generally uncontroversial in private-sector development, questions arise when government funding is involved, particularly in projects framed around technological independence. Meanwhile, NC AI and LG AI Research have not been subject to similar scrutiny. NC AI said its VARCO model was developed independently, covering data collection, pre-training and tuning. LG AI Research's EXAONE was also developed without incorporating Chinese modules. According to evaluation results from the first round, EXAONE ranked first in 10 of 13 benchmark categories, recording the highest average score at 72 points. The model ranked seventh globally and first domestically in the Intelligence Index compiled by Artificial Analysis. The ministry has so far declined to clarify whether the project requires models to be developed entirely from scratch. Industry observers say the criteria may become clearer once the first elimination is announced. Some AI developers argue that debates over the origins of specific code components are less important than governance and control over data and deployment, noting that many countries developing AI systems rely on open-source technologies. 2026-01-14 14:17:07
Much robotics hoopla at CES 2026 — too many bodies, too few brains SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - At CES 2026, robots flew men off their feet with perfectly timed jabs, flipped through synchronized somersaults and danced with algorithmic confidence. Behind the curtain, those same robots swung wildly into empty air — punches landing nowhere, movements jittery, as if they'd had one cocktail too many before the bout. A human operator stood nearby, joystick hidden behind his back, fingers doing the real work. Welcome to CES 2026, where physical AI was meant to unveil the next technological revolution — and instead delivered a high-budget remake of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots. The Consumer Electronics Show has long outgrown its “consumer electronics” label. This year's theme, Innovators Show Up, put physical AI — the fusion of artificial intelligence and robotics — center stage. Nvidia's Jensen Huang, fresh off receiving the IEEE Medal of Honor, loomed over the event, his chips beating inside nearly every robot on display. And there were robots everywhere: humanoids boxing in rings, quadrupeds weaving through crowds with pamphlets strapped to their backs like mechanical huskies, machines serving drinks, greeting visitors, folding clothes. The Las Vegas Convention Center had become a metallic zoo. Strip away the spectacle, and the illusion thinned fast. Strings attached Chasing humanoid makers across the floor — mostly Chinese firms dominating this year's robotics scene — one question kept recurring: Are the processors yours? At AgiBot, confidence came first. “All in-house,” a representative said. Then the pause. “Well… Nvidia runs the main operations.” The same answer echoed at Unix AI, Galaxea Dynamics and Galbot. Chinese bodies, Western brains. That dependency, however, is only half the problem. The bigger gap is autonomy. Shenzhen-based Engine AI was refreshingly blunt. It came to CES looking for partners to supply the brains. The bodies, it said, were ready — capable of boxing, lifting, sorting. Someone just still had to pull the strings. Those Unitree robots throwing punches in the ring? Each was piloted in real time by a human. The Pinocchios of CES 2026 have yet to cut their strings. Grace of a granny, nerves of an alcoholic Some humanoids looked impressive on spec sheets. In person, less so. LG Electronics' CLOiD, sleek and futuristic in videos, shuffled across the floor like a grandmother approaching her walker, hands trembling, frame shuddering. The company described it as “robotic breathing.” In the low light of Central Hall, it felt more like an uncanny-valley horror prop. Galbot's G1 warehouse robot was busily moving plastic bins — until it slipped on one and toppled over. Wheels spun. Arms stayed limp. It seemed oddly content with its unscheduled break. Company staff rushed over mid-interview. Moments earlier, they'd explained how their robots were already “fully employed” in Chinese warehouses. Elsewhere, robots nudged into walls, froze mid-task, or stared blankly into space. The gulf between demo reels and floor reality was wide enough to park a Cybertruck. The missing middle This CES felt different in another way: the giants were mostly gone. Once-dominant mega booths had shrunk or vanished. Hisense and LG were exceptions. Zeroth Robotics, a Chinese startup founded just last year, commanded a striking footprint with a lineup of domestic robots — from a Wall-E-inspired cleaner to a tabletop companion. Samsung staged its presence elsewhere. Sony appeared only via its Honda joint venture. The show felt less like a global tech summit and more like a startup bazaar — AI cotton-candy machines, prototype gadgets, concepts destined never to scale. The question CES couldn't answer Large language models already run quietly through daily life. ChatGPT drafts emails. Claude summarizes meetings. Gemini answers questions — sometimes inventing facts with alarming confidence. The scripted chatbots of five years ago now feel prehistoric. Physical AI promises the next leap: giving those digital minds bodies. CES 2026 showed how far we still are. The robots that could talk stood stiff as mannequins. Realbotix's celebrity-faced androids boasted Gemini-powered dialogue — and barely moved. The robots that moved couldn't think. The ones that tried both ended up on the floor. A decade ago, synthetic fingers with individual motion were headline news. Progress since then has been real. But the final bridge — from programmed motion to autonomous judgment — remains unbuilt. CES 2026 asked a question it couldn't answer: Is the world ready for physical AI? Investment is flowing. Hardware is improving. But judging from the clankers in Las Vegas, we still have time before humanoids demand rights — or even manage to deliver a drink without spilling it. Elon Musk says his humanoid robots will outperform the world's best surgeons within three years. I wouldn't bet on it. *The author is AJP tech reporter who covered CES 2026 in Las Vegas. 2026-01-13 16:07:27
INTERVIEW: Smart Brick to keep Lego legacy alive and competition at bay LAS VEGAS, January 09 (AJP) - As Lego brings sensors and connectivity into its iconic bricks, the Lego Group says its new Smart Brick platform is designed not only to modernize play, but to safeguard its decades-old legacy — and keep competitors firmly at bay. The Smart Bricks will be difficult for rivals to copy, according to a senior Lego executive, who cited years of proprietary development and built-in security features as major barriers to imitation. "I think the technology is going to be quite hard for people to recreate," said Tom Donaldson, senior vice president at the Lego Group, in an interview with AJP on Thursday at the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES 2026. The Smart Brick system, unveiled during Lego's keynote presentation at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, embeds NFC sensors and Bluetooth connectivity into the iconic two-by-four brick, enabling sound, light and real-time interaction between Lego models. Donaldson said that even if competitors manage to replicate some elements of the hardware, security measures would prevent unauthorized products from functioning within Lego's ecosystem. "There's security in place so that people might find it hard to — even if they can recreate some of the aspects — make it work with our system," he said. Child safety was a central reason for limiting compatibility, Donaldson added. "We'd really prefer that other people's systems don't work with ours unless we've been very deliberate about it, just from a child-safety perspective," he said. The Smart Brick concept dates back roughly eight years, with about six years of intensive development, according to Donaldson. The lengthy timeline reflected the absence of suitable technologies when the project began. "We found that the technologies didn't really exist — or at least not in the format that we felt we needed — and that's why it turned into a challenging technology development," he said. The system is designed to address three areas Lego identified as opportunities: social play, dynamic interactivity and user agency. Traditional Lego models, Donaldson noted, remain largely static compared with digital games that evolve over time. "You do something in the morning, you go to school, you come back, something's changed," he said. "Whereas that maybe hasn't been the case with traditional Lego models." Donaldson acknowledged that electronic components cannot match the multi-generational lifespan of traditional plastic bricks, which families often pass down over decades. Still, he said Lego engineered Smart Bricks to significantly outlast typical consumer electronics. "We don't want you to just buy a brick and then have to buy another one the next year," he said. "We want a brick that works even if you bought it three or four years ago. If you get a new set, the old bricks should still work." Durability was also a key design requirement, given the realities of children's play. Donaldson noted that the bricks had to withstand poking, dropping and impacts while protecting internal electronic components from damage and potential hazards. Lego chose CES as its launch venue to emphasize that Smart Play represents a long-term platform rather than a one-off product line, he said. "We really wanted to announce a platform," Donaldson said. "This is something that goes beyond just a wave. This is something we are really investing in for the long term." Asked about future form factors — such as different-sized Smart Bricks or tag-based components — Donaldson declined to provide specifics but suggested the platform could expand over time. "We see this as a platform that will last many, many years," he said. "And therefore it's likely that over time we'll discover additions that bring entirely new dimensions to the pieces." The first Smart Play sets feature Star Wars themes, including an X-wing, TIE Fighter and classic Episode VI characters. Donaldson cited Lego's decades-long partnership with Lucasfilm as a key factor behind the launch choice. "When you do something new like this, you need to have a tremendous partner with you," he said. "Lego Star Wars is a galaxy where people make their own stories. There are a lot of fans creating great narratives, and that type of play lends itself perfectly to what we're trying to do." 2026-01-09 12:57:14
CES 2026: Inside how China has leapfrogged in AI robots — self-sufficiency LAS VEGAS, January 09 (AJP) - From synchronized dancing and kung-fu demonstrations to boxing, deliveries and cleaning, Chinese robots were ubiquitous at the world's largest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas this week. China, which has already begun rolling humanoid robots off assembly lines and into retail stores and homes in various forms and scales, used CES 2026 to show the United States and the wider world just how far it has moved ahead in physical AI. Of the 38 companies participating in CES's humanoid robotics category, 21 were Chinese — ranging from established players such as Unitree Robotics to newer entrants including AgiBot and Noetix Robotics. The self-sufficiency drive comes as Chinese firms accounted for the vast majority of the roughly 13,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, according to research firm Omdia. Shanghai-based AgiBot topped the list with an estimated 5,168 units, followed by Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics. Except for Nvidia chips, everything else is homemade Despite the push for deep vertical integration, one component remains a near-universal import: the processor. An AgiBot employee told AJP that the company uses Nvidia chips as the computing brain for its robots — an irreplaceable component for every machine standing, spinning or twirling on the show floor. The company trains its robots at a data center in Shanghai, combining synthetic and real-world data to develop the artificial-intelligence models that power its humanoids. Beyond the processor, however, AgiBot manufactures nearly all components in-house, excluding only small standardized parts such as bolts and nuts. The reliance on Nvidia extends across China's robotics landscape. Unitree, Galbot, Engine AI and UBTech have all adopted Nvidia’s Jetson platform, with many becoming early users of the Jetson AGX Thor modules launched in August 2025. From joints to guards At UniX AI's booth, the vertical-integration story ran even deeper. Jerry Wu, the company's chief financial officer, said the Suzhou-based firm manufactures everything from joint mechanisms to the internal components of its robotic hands. The only exceptions are standardized parts, including optical sensors. "We developed everything by ourselves," Wu said. "Even the very inside of the joints." For processors, UniX AI also relies on Nvidia chips. The company has developed a two-layer AI model architecture: one layer functions as the "brain," interpreting situations and making decisions, while the other controls physical movement. Its Wanda series models are already generating revenue in China. Hotels have deployed the robots for housekeeping tasks such as bed-making and cleaning, while security applications use the machines to patrol buildings. "These are general models," Wu said. "They can even make alcoholic drinks as well." Cost pressure drives self-sufficiency Galaxea Dynamics, a Beijing-based company whom also has a office in San Jose, follows a similar playbook. Lei Yu, the company's chief business officer, said manufacturing is done entirely in-house — down to the motors — with Nvidia processors used for computing. "We build our own robots in-house," Yu said. "We design and control the body and manufacture everything ourselves." The rationale is as much economic as it is strategic. Training robots for manipulation tasks requires enormous volumes of real-world data, which in turn demands large fleets of robots to collect it. "To have a lot of data, you have to walk on it. So we need to have a lot of robots," Yu said. "And to have a lot of robots, it can be extremely expensive. That's why we use our own motors — to reduce costs at the data-collection stage." Galaxea Dynamics plans to bring its latest model to market between March and September this year, with educational discounts available. The company has partnered with research institutions to deploy about 200 robots. Synthetic data, real deployment Founded in May 2023, Galbot has positioned itself as one of the most valuable embodied-AI companies in the humanoid robotics sector. Yvonne Yuan, head of overseas marketing, said the company produces most components — from arms to wheels — using proprietary technology. Galbot was among the first globally to adopt Nvidia's Jetson Thor chipset. "It's all our own proprietary technology, including the hardware," Yuan said. Galbot's training strategy reflects a broader industry shift toward efficiency. About 90 percent of its training data is synthetic, generated in simulators, with only about 10 percent derived from real-world environments. "We do not rely so much on real-world data," Yuan said. "We train them in a simulator, then fine-tune using real-world data." Its G1 robots are already deployed in factories and warehouses across China, sorting vehicle parts and assisting production-line workers. The machines can operate for up to eight hours on a single charge and automatically return to charging stations when battery levels drop. A heavier model is in development. The current G1 can lift between 10 and 50 kilograms using both hands. The upcoming version will be able to lift at least 32 kilograms and feature a redesigned appearance, Yuan said. The bigger picture The push for vertical integration aligns with Beijing's broader industrial policy. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has set a goal of achieving global leadership in humanoid robotics by 2027. The strategy appears to be gaining traction. ABI Research forecasts the global humanoid robot market will reach $6.5 billion by 2030, with China's state funding and regulatory environment positioning domestic firms for outsized growth. Yet the reliance on Nvidia processors highlights a persistent vulnerability. Washington restricts Nvidia from exporting its most advanced chips to China, though the modules currently used in robotics applications remain available. For now, China's robotics industry is betting that controlling everything else — from the hands that grasp to the motors that move — will be enough to win the race. 2026-01-09 12:56:54
[[CES 2026]] Seoul startups vie for attention at CES, powered by student talent LAS VEGAS, January 08 (AJP) - CES 2026 is not just a stage for global tech giants. For many startups, it serves as a debut platform or a critical stepping stone — and at the Seoul Pavilion this year, university students have emerged as unlikely stars. At the Seoul Pavilion at CES 2026, hosting 69 startups, student talent has become a defining feature. The pavilion is operated by the Seoul Business Agency (SBA), which set up a 743-square-meter space inside Eureka Park, CES' dedicated startup hub. Orange-themed booths line the floor, while Haechi — Seoul's mascot — roams the aisles, drawing curious glances from international visitors. The pavilion brings together 19 organizations, including four district offices, five startup support agencies and nine universities. Participating companies span artificial intelligence, mobility and healthcare sectors. Among the exhibitors, AI startup A.PLA demonstrated its proprietary motion-capture technology. The system extracts human movements from ordinary webcam footage or YouTube videos, converting them into training data for robots. The company had planned to bring a humanoid robot from Unitree Robotics for live demonstrations, but battery restrictions during air transport forced a change of plans. "We're not a robotics manufacturer," said A.PLA co-founder Jake Hong. "We help robot makers produce high-quality training data at scale. That's what we came here to show the world." Nearby, mental-health startup ATLO drew crowds with its emotion-sensing AI companion. Equipped with cameras, the robot reads facial expressions, gestures and vocal tones to gauge a user's emotional state and respond accordingly. The company offers the technology both as a mobile app and as a physical robot. The robot demonstrated its capabilities on the show floor, recognizing hand gestures and engaging in conversation. "Many people struggling with mental health don't want to be treated as patients at hospitals or counseling centers," said ATLO CEO Park Sung-hyun. "They want to be treated as individuals. Our AI companion serves as a friend who listens." Park, who attended CES with a three-member team, praised the pavilion's support system. "Each company gets a dedicated university student who handles interpretation and booth logistics," he said. "They've been outstanding." The student volunteer program has emerged as a hallmark of Seoul's CES presence. Drawn from nine Seoul-based universities and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, volunteers are matched with participating companies months in advance. According to SBA CEO Kim Hyun-woo, students undergo extensive preparation before arriving in Las Vegas, studying their assigned companies' products, analyzing competitors and learning the broader industry landscape. "The goal is simple: get one more investor, one more buyer in front of these startups," Kim said. It took four years, he added, to persuade universities and government agencies to join forces under a single pavilion. "When everyone came separately, it cost more and made less impact," Kim said. "Together, we punch above our weight." Visually, the Seoul Pavilion stands out among national booths at Eureka Park. Kim pointed to deliberate design choices aimed at maximizing foot traffic, including a dedicated media center where journalists can file stories on site. "If you don't have deep insight into a particular industry, you won't seek out those booths," he said. "We need to catch people's eyes first, then create an interface for conversation." The results, Kim noted, speak for themselves. Of the 69 participating companies, 17 received CES Innovation Awards — a ratio he called the best in the world, crediting months of pre-show consulting and post-show follow-up. "Other pavilions might bring 100 companies and win eight or nine awards," he said. "We're running at a different level." Kim also observed that CES itself is evolving. With fewer Chinese companies participating in recent years, Korean firms have gained greater visibility. Still, he cautioned that the exhibition's global standing may be shifting. "We'll evaluate after this show ends and plan accordingly," he said. For now, the focus remains firmly on the show floor. "For students, it's invaluable experience. For startups, it's a lifeline," Kim said of the volunteer program. CES 2026 runs through Jan. 9. 2026-01-08 15:46:36
CES 2026: Korea, U.S. and China clash in AI robotics as mass-deployment era begins LAS VEGAS, January 07 (AJP) - Shenzhen-based Engine AI brought its T800 humanoid to the show floor, underscoring China's scale advantage in the physical-AI race, while South Korean and U.S. contenders such as Hyundai Motor and Tesla showed that the devil is in the details. The world's largest technology expo has become a battleground for humanoid robots, with Korea, the United States and China unveiling rival strategies to dominate the emerging era of physical AI — intelligent machines capable of perceiving, reasoning and acting in the real world. At CES 2026, the competition is no longer about who can build the smartest prototype. It is about who can manufacture robots at scale, deploy them across factories and homes, and reshape industries before rivals catch up. China's scale-first push China arrived in Las Vegas with an unmistakable message: mass production is here. According to the Korea Information & Communications Technology Industry Association, Chinese companies account for 149 of the 598 robotics exhibitors at this year's show — roughly one in four. In humanoid robotics alone, 21 of 38 exhibitors hail from China, making up more than half. The numbers reflect a coordinated national push. Morgan Stanley estimates that China has filed 7,705 humanoid-related patents over the past five years, compared with 1,561 in the United States. AgiBot recently rolled out its 5,000th humanoid robot, while UBTech Robotics plans to scale output to 10,000 units annually by 2027. Irving Chen, general manager of Unitree Robotics, told AJP that while exact production figures for all models cannot be disclosed, monthly sales of its flagship Go2 quadruped robot have exceeded 10,000 units. Shenzhen-based Engine AI showcased its T800 humanoid — a heavyweight model that rivals Tesla's Optimus and Boston Dynamics' Atlas. Evan Yao, co-founder of Engine AI, said the company is producing about 200 units per month and plans to raise output to 500 units by the end of the first quarter. "The robot is open source, so it can be used for any purpose," Yao said, adding that the company is seeking a U.S. distribution partner. U.S. bets on function over form The American approach looks markedly different. Rather than chasing humanoid aesthetics, U.S. firms are betting on purpose-built robots designed to solve specific problems. Richtech Robotics demonstrated ADAM, a robotic barista, while Mammotion unveiled wire-free autonomous lawnmowers aimed at residential users. The common thread: efficiency over spectacle. Realbotix offered another take on humanoids. "Our robots focus on customer service, entertainment and companionship — not physical labor," CEO Andrew Kiguel told AJP. The robots are already being used in senior homes, hotels, resorts and corporate events. The company assembles about five units per month and plans to triple capacity by the end of next year. While not exhibiting at CES 2026, Tesla is accelerating development of its Optimus humanoid. CEO Elon Musk has set a long-term target of producing one million robots a year by 2030. Korea's platform strategy South Korea is carving out a third path, emphasizing platforms, ecosystems and vertical integration over raw manufacturing scale. Hyundai Motor Group staged the first public demonstration of Atlas, developed by Boston Dynamics. The humanoid rose from the floor, walked across the stage and waved to spectators — a signal of readiness for industrial deployment. "We are building robots that can be deployed directly on factory floors and evolve alongside business needs," said Zachary Jackowski, head of Atlas development at Boston Dynamics. Hyundai aims to produce 30,000 robots annually by 2028. Atlas will be deployed at the group's Metaplant America facility in Georgia starting in 2028, initially for parts sequencing and classification tasks, before expanding to assembly by 2030. LG Electronics introduced CLOiD, a home-assistant robot with two articulated arms and five-fingered hands. In a live demonstration, CLOiD opened a refrigerator, selected a drink, set an oven timer and handled laundry — illustrating LG's vision of a "Zero Labor Home," where machines take over repetitive chores. Three philosophies, one race The divergent strategies on display reflect deeper differences in industrial philosophy. China prioritizes scale, mass-producing humanoids to capture market share and drive down costs. The U.S. focuses on function, building robots tailored to specific commercial uses. Korea emphasizes integration, leveraging strengths in AI software, semiconductors and precision components to create platforms that tightly connect hardware and intelligence. The stakes extend far beyond the exhibition floor. As robots move from research labs into factories and homes, the winners will shape how work is performed, how goods are manufactured and how daily life is organized. 2026-01-07 16:53:41
CES 2026: Everyday robotics in all sizes and for all purposes — China's Zeroth Robotics LAS VEGAS, January 07 (AJP) - Meet W1, inspired by WALL-E, the adorable cleaning robot from the Pixar movie. Don't let its big-eyed, cute looks fool you. The robot can follow users anywhere and carry up to 50 kilograms of gear, while its built-in camera enables autonomous filming — a feature likely to appeal to professional filmmakers and outdoor hobbyists alike. W1 is part of the domestic robot lineup from Zeroth Robotics, which is scheduled to open for preorder in the U.S. during the first quarter of this year. What differentiates the fledgling robotics company is its focus on humanoid and companion robots designed for everyday tasks, rather than industrial or warehouse use. "We want to build the world's first robot that can truly interact with the real world," said Zeroth Robotics CEO Renjie Guo in an interview with AJP on Tuesday at the company's booth in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center during CES 2026. Although the company was founded in 2024, the 28-year-old entrepreneur laid out an expansive ambition. "Our goal is to become a companion for every member of the family," Guo said. Unlike many consumer robots that simply mount a camera onto a mobile platform, W1 is designed to film independently while navigating its surroundings. "Other robots just stick a camera on," Guo said. "Ours actually shoots footage on its own." The robot can self-navigate to avoid hazards such as water, and a single charge powers W1 for two to three hours. As production scales up, the company expects manufacturing capacity to reach as many as 3,000 units per day, Guo said. From mini companions to humanoids M1, a 38-centimeter-tall robot named after "Mini" is designed to operate on tabletops, M1 can also mount a balancing scooter to move around the home. The robot is positioned as a companion for seniors, offering gentle medication reminders and safety monitoring. Its functions extend to reading stories to children, playing interactive games, helping care for pets — and even assisting users in writing autobiographies. "We've built an app store and an agent store," Guo said. "Users can download functions tailored to their needs." At the top of the lineup is Jupiter, a full-sized humanoid robot named after the largest planet in the solar system. Guo described Jupiter as the company's most ambitious project. "Someday, this robot will be capable of basic AGI," he said. "It will go beyond being a companion — sometimes it will be a tool." For now, Jupiter is capable of teleoperation demonstrations and basic walking, though Guo acknowledged its movements still need refinement. A camera embedded in the robot's abdomen allows it to perceive and interact with its environment. Why CES, and why now Asked why Zeroth Robotics chose CES 2026 for its debut, Guo said the goal was to present both its products and long-term vision directly to consumers. "We wanted to show all of our products and our vision to consumers," he said. "A robot that's both a companion and a tool — that's what we're here to present." "A robot that truly enters the home and does things you never imagined — that's our one and only goal," Guo added. The company's CES showcase reflects how far — and how boldly — China has advanced in humanoid and consumer robotics, as startups increasingly push robots beyond factories and into everyday life. 2026-01-07 15:47:28