Name: AI-powered robots to tackle labour shortages
Uploaded: 2025-11-09T20:03:06.054Z
Duration: 2 min 29 s
Description: The race to build robots has led to warnings of mass job losses as well as counter claims of a productivity boom. With the world’s lowest birthrate and chronic labour shortages, South Korea sees advanced artificial intelligence as a matter of survival.

The race to build robots has led to warnings of mass job losses as well as counter claims of a productivity boom. With the world’s lowest birthrate and chronic labour shortages, South Korea sees advanced artificial intelligence as a matter of survival.

Seoul

The release of Open AI's ChatGPT has accelerated the development of artificial intelligence and warnings about its impact on society.

Rise of AI

South Korea has announced a joint initiative between its government and private sector to develop mass-producible AI humanoid robots by 2028. Over $2 billion is being invested in the project, which aims to create robots that not only resemble humans but can also perform a wide range of jobs across industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and services.

The move comes as South Korea faces the world's lowest birth rate and a shrinking workforce, with robots already accounting for 10% of the country's manufacturing labor. The government is also considering a robot levy to address tax implications, and aims to have at least 1,000 humanoids produced annually by 2029. Ongoing debate surrounds the societal impact of AI humanoids, including questions about employment and the definition of humanity.

AI-powered robots to tackle labour shortages

Some are cute, some can dance, others look more like the Terminator. All are a work in progress. Part of a joint initiative between the South Korean government and private sector to build mass-producible AI humanoids by 2028. Most workspaces and work tools are actually set up to suit humans. If a robot were not in human form, we would have to create new workspaces. More than $2 billion is being invested to try and show the next generation of workers don't just look like us, also think like us. Traditional AI, like chatGBT, purely deals with data in the cyber world. In contrast, AI combined with robots is called physical AI. This is an AI that must be able to understand the real world. Robots make up 10% of South Korea's manufacturing workforce, the highest in the world. Another record for the country is the world's lowest birth rate. The AI transformation is the only breakthrough that can reverse the growth decline caused by the demographic shock. It's not just the manufacturing sector gambling on robots as a handy solution. From healthcare and the service sector to logistics and even fitness instruction, developers say AI robots like this one can take on almost every human job. Developers claim huge advances are being made in humanoid movement and hand dexterity. The speed of this development is tremendous, and the fact that we can't imagine how much more advanced robots will be in just five years is both a frightening and amazing prospect. South Korea's president has proposed a robot levy to overcome the fact humanoids would not pay income tax. The country hopes to see a minimum of 1,000 humanoids rolling off the assembly line in 2029. The battle between those who view AI humanoids as a benefit or a threat to society will continue, along with questions not just about jobs but about what it means to be human in a world where machines can work, speak and may ultimately experience a form of consciousness. Jack Barton, Al Jazeera, Goyang, South Korea.

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AI-powered robots to tackle labour shortages

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Rise of AI