The Korea Automobile Research Institute (President Jin Jong-wook) recently focused on a new paradigm called 'AI autonomous manufacturing' that introduces artificial intelligence (AI) to overcome various limitations faced by the manufacturing industry, increasing productivity and solving tasks such as reducing manpower, stabilizing the supply chain, and reducing carbon emissions.


The Korea Automobile Research Institute recently published a paper titled 'AI Everywhere, Changes in Automobile Manufacturing' in the February 2025 issue of Mobility Insight.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is actively supporting the spread of AI technology throughout the entire manufacturing process by launching the 'AI Autonomous Manufacturing Alliance' and announcing the AI Autonomous Manufacturing Pilot Project in October 2024.

The Korea Automobile Research Institute is also participating in this pilot project, focusing on applying and expanding AI autonomous manufacturing to the automobile and parts industries.

The Korea Automobile Research Institute held an expert roundtable discussion to discuss the current state of the automobile manufacturing industry and issues and problems related to 'AI autonomous manufacturing and the automobile industry', and to seek future changes and improvement measures.

This symposium was attended by Professor Kim Seong-han of Sejong University, Center Director Lee Hyeon-cheol and Senior Researcher Jeong Woo-yeong of the Korea Automobile Research Institute, Senior Researcher Kang Gyeong-tae of the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, CEO Lee Seong-ho of CEMS, and Cha Seok-geun of the Advanced Manufacturing Standardization Forum. Six experts from academia, industry, and research, including the chairman, participated.

Professor Kim Seong-han emphasized that we can secure global competitiveness in AI autonomous manufacturing based on the strengths of our country's manufacturing industry, and that if the government and the private sector cooperate to provide policy support and technological innovation, we will be able to lay the foundation for a new leap forward.

Center Director Lee Hyun-chul said that technical standardization and incentives are needed to solve data security issues, and that companies should be supported to embrace data as a tool for innovation.

Senior Researcher Jeong Woo-young emphasized that AI autonomous manufacturing is a process that accelerates the gradual evolution of existing manufacturing methods, and that it is important to overcome realistic challenges such as data security issues and robot education.

CEO Lee Seong-ho predicted that Korea has the optimal environment to test and develop manufacturing AI, and if it leverages this to strengthen its global competitiveness, it will be able to stand at the center of the reshoring era.

Chairman Cha Seok-geun emphasized that introducing AI autonomous manufacturing based on clear KPIs and data standardization will become a key driving force for innovation in the manufacturing industry.

Senior Researcher Kang Kyung-tae suggested that, in order to promote data sharing and the spread of AI and robot technologies, a hierarchical level system should be introduced, referring to cases such as European data laws, in which public data such as safety and carbon neutrality are disclosed, while sensitive data is shared in a limited manner.

In a special column, Professor Seongwoo Kim of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Engineering explains that AI autonomous manufacturing has the potential to improve production efficiency, reduce costs, enhance quality, and enhance workplace safety, but that it requires overcoming technological, security, and ethical challenges to fully realize this.

In the trend review, Senior Researcher Kang Kyung-tae said that manufacturing AI data and AI autonomous manufacturing technology are accelerating the digital transformation of the industry and enhancing global competitiveness. It is expected to play an important role in strengthening and realizing sustainable growth.

Chairman Cha Seok-geun emphasized that in order to effectively apply new technologies such as cybersecurity, digital twins, data space, and industrial AI in the manufacturing industry, it is necessary to go beyond the simple computerization of existing tasks and gradually develop digital/AI transformation along with process improvements based on manufacturing innovation.

Lastly, through interviews with Lee Seong-ho, CEO of Seemes, and Park Deok-geun, CEO of Wizcore, we discussed how AI autonomous manufacturing can contribute to drawing a new growth curve for the manufacturing industry and enhancing global competitiveness.