Global Forum on Mechanical Engineering 2025 to spotlight the future of humanoid AI and robotics
- Organized by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) at the National Assembly Library on September 26 -
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Credit: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)
The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM, President Seog-Hyeon Ryu), under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST), hosted the 2025 Global Forum on Mechanical Engineering on September 26 (Friday) at the National Assembly Library Auditorium in Seoul. The forum was co-organized with National Assembly members Seung-Rae Cho and Jung-A Hwang of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Hyung-Doo Choi and Chung-Kwon Park of the People Power Party. This year marked the 12th annual forum, under the theme “The Future of Humanoid AI and Robotics.”
With the convergence of artificial intelligence and robotics accelerating worldwide, humanoid technologies are rapidly evolving to integrate sensing, cognition, dexterous motion, and autonomous learning. These technologies are moving beyond automation to become collaborative partners that create real value in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and service sectors.
The forum highlighted global trends in humanoid AI and robotics as well as Korea’s strategies for response, and was livestreamed through the official website (https://www.kimm.re.kr/forum).
The keynote speech was delivered by Professor Dennis Hong of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, under the title “AI for Robotics and Robotics for AI.”
In subsequent sessions, Professor Glen Berseth, Director of AI at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) and faculty member at the Université de Montréal, presented on “Developing Agents That Learn and Plan in the Real World,” discussing research on robotic control solutions and methods for autonomous learning. Next, Jin-Oh Kim, President of the Korea Association of Robot Industry, delivered a presentation entitled “Understanding the Role of Robots, Future Directions, and the Importance of the Robotics Industry.” Finally, KIMM President Seog-Hyeon Ryu presented KIMM’s development strategy for AI humanoid robots.
The program concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Professor Jung Kim, President of the Korea Robotics Society and professor at KAIST. Panelists included Professors Hong and Berseth, President Kim, and President Ryu, who discussed the outlook and future technological pathways for humanoid AI and robotics.
President Ryu of KIMM stated, “The convergence of AI, robotics, and mechanical technologies will serve as a transformative driver of industrial innovation. We expect the 2025 Global Forum on Mechanical Engineering to play a pivotal role in advancing the era of humanoid AI and strengthening Korea’s global leadership in mechanical technologies.”
Since its inauguration in 2014, the Global Forum on Mechanical Engineering has been held annually, bringing together global experts from academia, industry, and research institutes to address frontier issues in mechanical technologies and explore future directions.
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The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) is a non-profit government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Since its foundation in 1976, KIMM is contributing to economic growth of the nation by performing R&D on key technologies in machinery and materials, conducting reliability test evaluation, and commercializing the developed products and technologies.