DeepSeek stuns AI industry, escalating US-China tech rivalry

SEOUL, January 31 (AJP) - A little-known Chinese startup has sent shockwaves through the global artificial intelligence industry, unveiling a model that rivals OpenAI’s ChatGPT in both performance and cost efficiency. The breakthrough by DeepSeek, a firm with just 180 employees, has been likened to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik, a moment that reshaped the geopolitical landscape by signaling Moscow’s early lead in the space race. On Jan. 27, DeepSeek&rsq

January 31, 2025

Shockwaves from China's DeepSeek hit Korean chip stocks

SEOUL, January 31 (AJP) - Shares of South Korea’s leading chipmakers, SK hynix and Samsung Electronics, tumbled Friday as investors reacted to mounting uncertainty in the artificial intelligence sector following the shockwaves from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. SK hynix, a key supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for AI applications, plunged 9.86 percent to 199,200 won, while Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest memory chipmaker, declined 2.42 percent. Hanm

January 31, 2025

China's AI chatbot DeepSeek faces scrutiny over censorship allegations

SEOUL, January 29 (AJP) - DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence chatbot that has garnered global attention for its low-cost yet high-performance model, is facing mounting allegations of real-time censorship on politically sensitive topics related to China. Reports suggest that the chatbot initially generates responses containing information that the Chinese Communist Party might consider politically sensitive, only to swiftly erase and replace them with a sanitized version m

January 29, 2025

Korea will increase smart farms to bolster agricultural sector

SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - The South Korean government has unveiled a plan to modernize its agricultural sector, aiming to transform 35 percent of the nation’s greenhouses into ICT-based smart farms by 2029. The move is part of a sweeping effort to address the dual challenges of climate change and a shrinking rural workforce. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Tuesday, under the five-year plan, the government will upgrade 35 percent of South

January 22, 2025

Korea urged to focus on quantum applications as it lags behind global competitors

SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - As the United States, China, Japan and Europe are poised to achieve significant advancements in quantum technology this year, South Korea is considered to be in the nascent stages of development. To secure global competitiveness, experts say the country must leverage quantum technology applications, including communication and sensors. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT, as of June last year, South Korea ranked lowest among 12 m

January 16, 2025

Hyundai E&C to introduce Korea's first autonomous delivery robots for apartments

SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - Hyundai Engineering & Construction will become the first South Korean construction company to commercialize autonomous door-to-door delivery robots, a system designed to handle packages, food delivery, and even security patrols in residential complexes. The company said Wednesday its integrated indoor-outdoor autonomous delivery service, developed in collaboration with Mobinn, a robot startup affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, will debut at a high-e

January 15, 2025

[CES 2025] Health tech innovations take center stage at CES 2025

LAS VEGAS, January 8 (AJP) - The health technology sector is a major focus at CES 2025, with exhibitors showcasing a range of AI-powered medical devices and assistive technologies designed for an aging population. The Korean Pavilion, featuring innovations from Gwangju, Seongnam, Daejeon, and Seoul, is a hub for these cutting-edge developments. One standout is Skeeper's AI stethoscope, which integrates a thermometer, camera, and expandable memory. This versatile device offe

January 9, 2025

[CES 2025] Korean AI startups break language barriers at tech show

LAS VEGAS, January 8 (AJP) - South Korean AI-based language tech startups are drawing attention at CES 2025 with cutting-edge multilingual technologies. Flitto, a crowdsourcing translation platform, is providing its AI-powered Live Translation service free of charge during the four-day event that began in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The service offers real-time Korean translations of key speeches from industry leaders, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, X CEO Linda Yaccarino and Delta

January 8, 2025

[CES 2025] SK Telecom unveils personal AI agent at CES 2025

LAS VEGAS, January 7 (AJP) - SK Telecom showcased its personal AI agent, Aster, on Tuesday at CES 2025, announcing plans to launch a beta service for North American users in March. Designed to streamline users' lives, Aster boasts a range of capabilities, from preliminary research and planning to task execution. The AI can manage schedules, create to-do lists, and offer proactive suggestions. For instance, when a user in Las Vegas queries, "I have no plans for my last

January 8, 2025

Korean top conglomerates ramp up robotics investment

SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - South Korea's leading conglomerates Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and LG Electronics are intensifying their focus on robotics development, marking it as a key growth engine for 2025. According to industry sources on Monday, Samsung Electronics has established a new robotics task force team under direct supervision of its CEO, while securing a 35 percent controlling stake in Korea-based Rainbow Robotics through a 354.5 billion won (US$243 mill

January 7, 2025