STRADVISION is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI)-based vision perception technology, proven in mass-produced vehicles, into robotics and autonomous devices.

STRADVISION said Sept. 8 that it will join semiconductor design company Arm’s “Total Design for Physical AI” ecosystem. The announcement was made at the Arm Everywhere event in Shanghai, China.

STRADVISION plans to contribute vision perception technology accumulated over more than a decade in automotive mass-production environments to Arm’s physical AI ecosystem. Physical AI refers to AI technologies that perceive and interpret their surroundings and act in real-world environments, such as robots and autonomous vehicles.

STRADVISION has applied technologies including object detection and classification, depth estimation and semantic segmentation to front-facing cameras, surround-view systems and multi-camera systems. The company plans to extend its experience implementing AI vision technology in production vehicles under constraints on computing performance, power consumption, heat and cost to robots and other autonomous devices.

STRADVISION will also participate in developing Arm’s Robotics Capability Framework. The framework is designed to establish common standards defining what robots should perceive in different environments and the level at which they should independently make decisions and take actions.

Arm sees the cost and time required for system integration as key factors determining the pace of commercialization because robotic systems must combine technologies including semiconductors, AI models, middleware, development tools and applications. The common framework is intended to make it easier for companies using different semiconductors and software to design, compare and integrate robotic systems.

“The next challenge for physical AI is integrating increasingly advanced technologies into complete systems that can be deployed in real-world environments,” said Dermot O’Driscoll, vice president of Physical AI Business Development at Arm. “STRADVISION will bring proven expertise in perception technology.”

“For more than a decade, we have deployed perception technology in production vehicles across major automotive computing platforms,” said Philip Vidal, chief business officer (CBO) at STRADVISION. “We will support Arm’s efforts to create a common language for robotics.”

KT has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and physical artificial intelligence (AI) specialist DAIM Research to develop, demonstrate and commercialize physical AI technologies. The agreement follows discussions among the three organizations on continued business cooperation during the second phase of the Physical AI Alliance led by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

KT, KAIST and DAIM Research will cooperate on commercializing a dark factory platform for unmanned manufacturing, identifying physical AI business opportunities and expanding K-Physical AI into global markets.

Commercialization of the dark factory platform will center on the Ministry of Science and ICT's 2026 project to establish a research and development ecosystem for collaborative-intelligence physical AI-based software platforms. The project aims to develop and demonstrate AI-based unmanned and automated platforms that enable manufacturing sites to operate autonomously. The three organizations will participate in the project for five years.

The three organizations will focus on developing technologies to automate manufacturing processes based on logistics and manufacturing robot control platforms and robotics technologies held by KAIST and DAIM Research. They will also build a testbed similar to actual industrial environments to validate the technologies and expand their application to various manufacturing sectors based on the results.

KT will provide an operating platform that can integrate and manage various robots and AI systems based on its data platform. It also plans to support real-time decision-making and robot control using edge AI, which processes data close to robots to minimize latency, as well as high-speed, ultra-low-latency network infrastructure.

"The true competitiveness of physical AI does not end with developing good technology, but lies in making robots and AI work in actual manufacturing environments and validating their performance," said Choi Sung-yool, Senior Vice President for Research at KAIST.

Samsung SDS will deploy about 200 artificial intelligence (AI) specialists to corporate workplaces as part of efforts to strengthen its artificial intelligence transformation (AX) business. The company plans to expand its scope from analyzing and redesigning business processes to building and operating AI agents. It will also pursue an AI security business in cooperation with OpenAI.

Samsung SDS unveiled its "Multi-Dimensional AI Full Stack" strategy at REAL Summit 2026 in Seoul on Sept. 8.

"AI changes the way people work, but AX changes the business," Samsung SDS President and CEO Lee Junehee said. "AX is not simply about introducing AI to save time and costs, but about redesigning the business itself and the way work is done from the ground up."

One of the company's initiatives is the Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), an on-site AI specialist. FDEs work directly at corporate workplaces to analyze real-world problems and design and implement AI-based solutions. The FDE model was created by Palantir for its enterprise software business 22 years ago.

Samsung SDS plans to expand its team of AX-focused FDEs to about 200 by the end of this year through cooperation with OpenAI and Anthropic. They will work on-site, handling everything from analyzing customer workflows to developing AI agents and deploying and operating systems. Unlike the conventional approach of installing pre-built systems, the model continuously modifies and applies AI based on a company's operational data. Samsung SDS introduced FDEs in July as a new model for enterprise AI adoption.

Samsung SDS also announced a "Client Zero" policy to transform its own operations with AI first. The company will apply AX to seven major internal functions — development, procurement, quality, corporate support, project execution, marketing and sales — and offer externally the methods it validates internally. In effect, Samsung SDS intends to go through the trial-and-error process before its customers do.

The company also announced plans to enter the AI security business. Samsung SDS will participate as a pilot partner in OpenAI's Daybreak Partner Program to develop cybersecurity services using AI models. AI will automatically identify and validate corporate security vulnerabilities and provide patching solutions. As with FDEs, security specialists will be deployed to customer sites to implement the services.

Samsung SDS also plans to launch a "robot orchestration platform" in 2027 to integrate and manage multiple types of robots. The initial target will be about 430 existing manufacturing automation customers. The platform is intended to expand the company's physical AI business combining robotics and AI and target the autonomous manufacturing market.

Taken together, Samsung SDS's AX strategy significantly broadens its business scope, from supplying AI infrastructure and applying AI to enterprise operations to AI security and robot operations at manufacturing sites.

Securities analysts are also watching whether Samsung SDS's AX expansion will translate into higher managed service provider (MSP) and AI revenue. Hyundai Motor Securities analyst Choi Seung-ho said in a Sept. 2 report that one of the key factors to watch is whether accelerating AX adoption leads to faster MSP revenue growth, setting a target price of 300,000 won. Choi forecast Samsung SDS's 2026 revenue at 14.3457 trillion won and operating profit at 810.3 billion won.

LS Securities analyst Sun Yujin on Aug. 19 described Samsung SDS as a pioneer in South Korea's IT services industry at the forefront of AX. Sun cited growth in AI revenue from Samsung Group's AI transformation and the expansion of intelligent work management platforms for the government as key growth drivers for the second half and beyond, raising the target price to 307,000 won.

Samsung SDS's second-quarter IT services revenue rose 5% from a year earlier to 1.7625 trillion won. Cloud revenue increased 17% to 779.4 billion won. Revenue from the MSP business, which includes AX projects, was 346.7 billion won, up 17% from a year earlier, driven by AX projects in the financial sector and increased enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects in the shipbuilding industry, the company said.

Inswave is stepping up its push into the Japanese market with artificial intelligence (AI)-based development technologies.

Inswave said Sept. 8 that 32 representatives from major Japanese information technology (IT) companies visited its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sept. 4 to review the company’s AI and digital transformation (DX) strategy and key products and discuss potential business cooperation. The delegation included executives and engineers from Japanese IT companies in the energy, public and manufacturing sectors.

Inswave demonstrated its flagship solution, WebSquare AI. The platform uses generative AI to support the entire web application development process, from publishing and coding to testing and operations management. It is an AI agent-based user interface and user experience (UI/UX) development platform.

The company highlighted spec-driven development (SDD), which generates and validates outputs based on development specifications, as a core part of its AI development strategy. The approach is aimed at building an enterprise development environment that goes beyond code generation to manage development quality and reliability.

Inswave has supplied web standards technologies to about 900 customers across more than 4,000 projects in South Korea. The company said this experience allows it to apply AI-based development technologies in areas such as finance and the public sector, where stability and security are critical.

Inswave plans to hold follow-up discussions with local IT companies and potential customers through its Japanese subsidiary, Inswave Japan.

“We will use Inswave Japan as a foothold to expand engagement with local partners and create tangible business cooperation opportunities in the Japanese market,” said Eo Se-ryong, chief executive officer of Inswave.

Kakao Games will launch “Dokkaebi’s World,” a new massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Supercat, on Oct. 8.

Kakao Games said Sept. 9 that it held an online showcase on Sept. 8, unveiling the game’s key content, service policies and launch schedule.

Dokkaebi’s World is a 2.5D MMORPG based on the intellectual property (IP) of Naver web novel and webtoon “Myeolgwi Sudojeon.” It combines 2D pixel-art characters with 3D backgrounds and features a world inspired by traditional Korean themes. Webtoon production company Redice Studio also participated in developing the IP.

The game’s main combat system, “Dosul,” consists of 12 styles. Each Dosul is linked to a unique mechanic called “Sinsik Gaebang,” allowing players to use different approaches depending on the combat situation.

The progression system emphasizes cooperation rather than competition among players, while incorporating optional player-versus-player (PvP) combat. Kakao Games also unveiled operational features including data management using an AI system called “Myorong” and “Dokkaebi General Assembly,” a program designed for regular communication with players.

Ahead of the official launch, Kakao Games will hold a live demonstration on Sept. 18. The developers will showcase actual gameplay and explain key content and systems in real time.

LG CNS is applying artificial intelligence (AI) agents to the Chaum health screening center. The company will build a system that analyzes customers' past screening records, recommends tests, drafts screening reports and supports follow-up care.

LG CNS said Sept. 9 that it recently held a kickoff meeting with Chaum and CHA Healthcare at the Chaum health screening center in Seoul's Gangnam district and began a proof of concept (PoC) for AI agents.

LG CNS will develop AI agents specialized for health screening operations, while Chaum will evaluate their efficiency and potential use in actual screening workflows.

Chaum currently creates personalized screening programs based on customers' past screening records, consultation history and physicians' recommendations. Nurses manually retrieve relevant information from multiple systems, including customer relationship management (CRM) and electronic medical records (EMR), while also preparing consultation records, managing follow-up care and scheduling.

LG CNS plans to have AI agents integrate and analyze screening records, test results, consultation records and follow-up schedules distributed across CRM and EMR systems. Based on previous screening results and medical staff recommendations, the AI will suggest necessary tests and explain the reasons for them. It will also help prepare materials explaining to customers why the tests are needed.

After screening, the AI will combine test results and medical assessments to draft screening reports. LG CNS also plans to use AI to prepare pre-screening precaution checklists, manage retesting and follow-up schedules at three-, six- and nine-month intervals, connect customers with abnormal findings to outpatient care and provide information on follow-up programs.

The companies are also considering introducing AI-powered interpretation and translation for foreign customers. Foreigners account for about 30% of customers at the Chaum health screening center, and AI could be used to provide screening results and assist during consultations.

LG CNS plans to use the PoC to establish an AI agent model specialized for health screening consultations and then expand its deployment to major CHA Medical Center health screening centers. LG CNS made a strategic investment in CHA Bio Group in January.

Naver has proposed expanding cooperation with French companies and institutions across artificial intelligence (AI) and other businesses.

Naver said Sept. 9 that CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Naver Cloud CEO Kim Yu-won met with French companies during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to France to discuss cooperation in AI infrastructure and content.

At a South Korea-France business roundtable held Sept. 8, Choi highlighted potential cooperation in three areas: global AI infrastructure, industry-specific AI with data sovereignty and security, and cultural content.

Choi noted that Naver recently announced plans with Nvidia and Brookfield to build more than 1 gigawatt of global AI factories. "We want to combine France's stable energy base with Naver's experience in the AI ecosystem to jointly build AI factories that can be used by European companies and startups," she said.

Choi also proposed supporting French companies in building industry-specific AI, citing Naver's financial AI "BOKI," developed with the Bank of Korea, and "Hy-NuRI," an AI system specialized for nuclear power plants and isolated from external networks, developed with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

She also highlighted Naver Webtoon's business in France, where it has secured 2 million readers. "Based on our global webtoon platform and technological capabilities such as Toon Radar, our AI-powered copyright protection technology, we want to cooperate so that works created jointly by creators from both countries can reach readers around the world," Choi said.

Naver also signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with France's National Audiovisual Institute (INA) to combine AI technology with audiovisual cultural heritage archives. The two sides plan to explore ways to apply Naver's AI technology to INA's extensive audiovisual archives to efficiently analyze and organize content and make it easier for users to find and use the materials they need.

A South Korean court granted a divorce petition filed by the spouse of Smilegate founder and Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) Kwon Hyuk-bin. The court recognized the spouse’s contribution to the couple’s assets at 35%, resulting in a property division worth 2.55 trillion won, the largest in a South Korean divorce case.

The Seoul Family Court’s Family Division 3 on Sept. 9 granted the divorce of Kwon and his wife, identified by her surname Lee, and divided their assets 65% to Kwon and 35% to Lee.

Considering that most of Kwon’s assets are unlisted shares, the court ordered 35% of the shares to be transferred in kind and an additional 65 billion won to be paid in cash to cover the shortfall. The court assessed Kwon’s assets at about 7.34 trillion won, including about 7.10 trillion won worth of Smilegate shares. Lee was also designated as the legal custodian and caregiver of their child. Kwon must pay 20 million won in monthly child support at the end of each month until the minor child reaches adulthood.

A key issue in the lawsuit was how much of Kwon’s Smilegate holdings should be subject to property division. Kwon owns 100% of Smilegate. Because shares in the privately held company account for most of his assets, the size of the settlement depended heavily on how the court valued the stake.

Lee had initially sought half of Kwon’s Smilegate stake. She married Kwon in 2001, a year before Smilegate was founded. Lee argued that she held shares and participated in management during the company’s early years and later contributed to the accumulation of assets through household responsibilities and raising their children. Kwon maintained that Lee was not a co-founder and that her contribution to the company’s growth was relatively limited.

By the size of the property division, the ruling is the largest in a divorce involving a South Korean business executive. In an earlier retrial following a Supreme Court remand in the divorce case between SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Art Center Nabi Director Roh Soh-yeong, the assets were divided one-third to Roh and two-thirds to Chey, with Chey ordered to pay 944 billion won.

Kwon’s lawyer said the legal team would review the ruling and decide on further proceedings in consultation with Kwon.

Intelligent power management company Eaton unveiled its next-generation data center power infrastructure strategy and key technologies at Eaton Data Center Tech Day 2026, held at the Atlas Hall of The Westin Seoul Parnas on Sept. 10.

Eaton's vice president of engineering for its Electrical Sector in Asia Pacific introduced a "power-to-chip" ecosystem and infrastructure design strategy for next-generation data centers. The company presented solutions including its 9395XR uninterruptible power supply (UPS), distributed power quality (DPQ) portfolio, AI data center cooling systems, prefabricated white space, grid interconnection and power distribution solutions, and electrical power monitoring systems (EPMS) to support the design, construction and operation of AI data centers.

A key Eaton solution is its medium-voltage solid-state transformer (MVSST). Based on advanced power electronics technology, the MVSST simplifies the conversion of high-voltage alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), supporting 800VDC AI data center architectures. It is designed to reduce energy conversion losses and system complexity while improving reliability.

The MVSST provides system efficiency of up to 98.5% and power density of up to 277.7 kilowatts per square meter. Integrating medium- and low-voltage cabinets with converters can reduce installation space by as much as 50%, while simplified system configurations and prefabrication can cut overall project lead times by as much as 50%.

The MVSST also uses bidirectional power conversion to serve as an intelligent energy router, flexibly connecting the power grid with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, energy storage systems (ESS) and DC microgrids. This enables energy flows between power sources and loads to be managed efficiently according to demand while supporting stable operation in high-power, high-density environments.