• 
  Korean founders told to prioritize profit over growth at Silicon Valley summit SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korean startup founders hoping to break into the United States market were advised to abandon aggressive growth strategies in favor of proving their "unit economics," as investors at a major industry gathering here warned of a tightened global capital environment. The advice was delivered at the UKF 82 Startup Summit 2026, held from January 9 to 12 at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City. The event drew approximately 4,000 participants, making January 15, 2026
• 
  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 — Nav January 14, 2026
• 
  Hyundai-backed company to launch driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - Motional, the autonomous-driving joint venture backed by Hyundai Motor Group, plans to commercialize a fully driverless robotaxi service in Las Vegas later this year. Hyundai Motor said Monday Motional outlined the plan during a media event held Jan. 8 at its Las Vegas Technical Center, where it aims to launch an unmanned autonomous-driving service operating at Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, Level 4 by the end of the year. Under the SAE&rsquo January 12, 2026
• 
  CES 2026 : Boston Dynamics' Atlas wins CNET's top robot honor at CES 2026 SEOUL, January 09 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor Group said Thursday that Atlas, a humanoid robot developed by its robotics company Boston Dynamics, won CNET’s Best Robot award in the Best of CES 2026 honors. Atlas is central to Hyundai Motor Group’s AI robotics strategy unveiled in Las Vegas. The next-generation, electric Atlas development model, shown for the first time at CES 2026, was designed for high efficiency in real manufacturing settings, with autonomous learning and fl January 9, 2026
• 
  [CES 2026] Tactile technology seeks to preserve Japan's endangered craft skills LAS VEGAS, January 08 (AJP)-The art of craftsmanship in Japan has long rested on an exceptional sensitivity to detail — from silverware and precision metalwork to wagashi sweets — refined through the human hand. As Japan’s master artisans age and fewer successors emerge, that legacy is increasingly at risk. A sensor-to-tactile feedback technology called Tacthancer offers a novel response. The technology was demonstrated Thursday (local time) at the booth of DIC C January 9, 2026
• 
  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 com January 9, 2026
• 
  CES 2026: Hyundai Motor Group unveils in-house AI chips for robotics LAS VEGAS, January 09 (AJP) -South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group has developed an in-house artificial intelligence chip for its mobility platform, extending its ambitions in robotics and so-called “physical AI.” Hyundai Motor and Kia said they have completed development of an on-device AI chip for robots and are preparing for mass production, marking a strategic shift toward greater vertical integration in next-generation mobility technologies. The automakers&rsqu January 9, 2026
• 
  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 — int January 7, 2026
• 
  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 January 7, 2026
• 
  Siemens maps AI-led industrial shift at CES, with fusion reactors highlighting digital twin strategy LAS VEGAS (AJP) - At CES 2026, Siemens outlined a vision for an AI-driven restructuring of global industry, arguing that artificial intelligence is moving beyond software applications to become a foundational element of physical systems across manufacturing, logistics, energy, and infrastructure. At the center of that strategy is digital twin technology, which the company presented as the key mechanism for applying AI safely and reliably in the real world. Siemens framed digital t January 7, 2026