Professor Youngjae Jang of the KAIST Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering presented strategies for manufacturing innovation and business adaptation centered on Physical AI at the Hunet CEO Monthly Forum. He emphasized that manufacturing competitiveness now depends not simply on automation, but on autonomous manufacturing capabilities in which AI independently manages operations and optimization.

He also explained that manufacturing is rapidly evolving toward a data-driven model in which factories continuously learn and improve their own operations. He noted that significant opportunities still exist in industrial AI and manufacturing AI, and that combining AI with robotics can improve both productivity and operational flexibility. At the same time, he pointed out that many Korean companies face challenges in advancing automation, data utilization, and operational processes simultaneously due to shortages of both technology and skilled talent. The forum was attended by approximately 100 CEOs and executives from leading Korean companies.