South Korean software companies are targeting the physical artificial intelligence market, including robotics, as their next growth engine. With traditional software businesses hitting growth limits amid the spread of AI technology and an offensive from global big tech, the companies plan to find a new path by entering the rapidly expanding robot ecosystem.
Major security firms have begun building security systems tailored to robot environments, according to IT industry sources on the 1st. AhnLab (053800) plans to release AhnLab EPS Client for ROS, a security solution for robots, within this year. The product covers not only individual robots but also the infrastructure that operates and manages them, forming an integrated security framework.
Since last year, AhnLab has taken part in a state-funded project run by the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) to develop security technology for cyber resilience in intelligent service robots. It is also conducting a proof of concept (PoC) under the project.
Raonsecure (042510) has teamed up with the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) to upgrade AI security systems for actual devices such as robots and drones. The two sides also plan to establish joint security standards and application guidelines. AutoCrypt (331740), an autonomous driving security company, is carrying out joint research and development with the Shanghai Robotics Institute (SRI) in robot cybersecurity testing, evaluation and standardization.
The industry expects security demand in the robotics sector to grow sharply. Because robots are hardware that operates physically, a malfunction caused by a cyberattack could go beyond a simple data leak and lead to fatal accidents, such as casualties or a complete shutdown of manufacturing and logistics operations.
"The more sophisticated a robot's autonomous driving technology becomes, the more cybersecurity ends up determining how complete the system is," an official in the security industry said. "Demand for robot-specific security solutions to prevent physical accidents will surge."
Software firms are also moving into the market for operating systems and interfaces, which handle a robot's thinking and communication.
ESTsoft (047560) has partnered with Canadian robot AI company M2M Tech to unveil robot technology applying Perso Interactive, a real-time conversational AI avatar solution. Much like Jarvis, the assistant in the film "Iron Man," the AI avatar helps users operate and control robots through conversation.
Hancom (030520) is porting its in-house AI Agent OS to firefighting robots. The company will jointly develop an application interface within this year to link its OS with firefighting and rescue robots made by France's Shark Robotics, and plans to expand the technology to industrial robots more broadly.
"Going beyond simply supplying software, the ability to handle physical AI technology that controls hardware and physical environments will be the key dividing line for corporate value going forward," an official in the software industry said.
