AI Expansion Spans Work, Industry, Devices

LG’s ultra-low-power AI chip program is budgeted at approximately 31 billion won and is scheduled to run from July 2026 through December 2030. LG will define product requirements and lead development, while CoAsia SEMI designs two system-on-chips and Samsung Foundry handles manufacturing. The broader consortium includes HyperAccel, Mobilint, Sogang University and the Korea Electronics Technology Institute.
CES 2027 is scheduled for January 6–9 in Las Vegas, with media events and the “Unveiled Las Vegas” sessions beginning January 4. The event’s expanded taxonomy includes quantum technology, AgTech, fintech and space technology, reflecting its evolution into a procurement and investment marketplace for senior corporate and industry leaders.
Gartner Japan said Physical AI was absent by name from its 2025 outlook but entered the 2026 Hype Cycle directly at the “Peak of Inflated Expectations.” The category joins technologies including Agentic AI, Machine Customers and Autonomous Trucks at that stage, after Agentic AI moved there from the “Innovation Trigger” phase in just one year.
True Corporation Group CEO Sigve Brekke compared AI to a supercar: as it becomes faster, more powerful and more capable, it requires stronger governance. He argued that without equivalent “traffic rules or speed limits,” AI’s growing role in recommendations, decision-making and task execution could create greater risks.
Ram Gopal Varma warned that the people most immediately exposed to displacement may be those who do not embrace AI, writing on X that “the first jobs to vanish will be of those who immediately don’t embrace it.” He also framed AI as removing both of humanity’s traditional assets—“the muscle” used for physical tasks and “the mind” used to think and create.
Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to labs and specialized software—it's reshaping how people work, how factories operate, and what devices do in homes. Market Screener reports that at this year's major tech summits, the focus has shifted from consumer gadgets to enterprise AI: robots, autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity tools and medical devices. Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma warned on social media that AI could replace both physical labor and creative work, with those who ignore the technology facing the greatest risk of job loss.
The momentum is global. South Korea is investing heavily in on-device AI chips for appliances. Thailand's sustainability leaders are pushing for stronger AI governance. And AI Magazine has covered critical conversations about AI's societal impact at major industry summits. The message is clear: AI's power is growing faster than the rules meant to govern it.
South Korea is backing an ambitious plan to put artificial intelligence directly into household devices. Market Screener reports that LG Electronics is leading a consortium budgeted at 31 billion won (roughly $22 million USD) to develop ultra-low-power AI chips that can run on home appliances without draining batteries. The project runs from July 2026 through December 2030. LG defines the requirements and leads development, while Samsung Foundry handles manufacturing and CoAsia SEMI designs the actual chips.
The broader team includes HyperAccel, Mobilint, Sogang University and the Korea Electronics Technology Institute. The goal is to embed AI into refrigerators, washing machines and other appliances so they can learn from user behavior and make smarter decisions on their own. This strategy positions South Korea as a leader in what industry leaders call "on-device AI"—the ability to run intelligent systems locally rather than relying on cloud servers.
The world's largest tech conference is shedding its reputation as a consumer gadget showcase. CES 2027, scheduled for January 6–9 in Las Vegas, will emphasize enterprise tools like AI robotics, autonomous mobility, cybersecurity and digital health. Market Screener notes the event's expanded taxonomy now includes quantum technology, agricultural tech, fintech and space technology. Preview sessions called "Unveiled Las Vegas" begin January 4.
This shift reflects how AI is moving from novelty consumer products into tools that corporations and investors use to reshape entire industries. The conference has transformed into a procurement and investment marketplace for senior corporate leaders and venture capitalists—a place where deals get made, not just where companies show off new phones.
Industrial robots and autonomous machines are climbing the hype curve. Market Screener reports that Gartner Japan's 2026 outlook placed "Physical AI"—AI-powered robots and machines that interact with the physical world—directly at the "Peak of Inflated Expectations." This category, which didn't appear in Gartner's 2025 list, now sits alongside Agentic AI (AI systems that act independently), Machine Customers and Autonomous Trucks as technologies generating intense buzz and investment.
The jump from obscurity to peak hype happened in just one year, mirroring how Agentic AI leaped from "Innovation Trigger" to the peak in the same period. This suggests excitement may outpace real-world results—a pattern that often precedes a sharp decline in expectations once disappointments surface.
As AI grows more powerful, tech and sustainability leaders are warning that governance must keep pace. AI Magazine reports that True Corporation Group CEO Sigve Brekke compared AI to a supercar: as it becomes faster and more capable, it needs stronger safeguards. "Without equivalent traffic rules or speed limits," Brekke argued, AI's expanding role in recommendations, decision-making and task execution could create greater risks than benefits.
Ram Gopal Varma went further, warning that workers who do not adopt AI will face displacement first. He wrote on social media that "the first jobs to vanish will be of those who immediately don't embrace it," framing AI as capable of replacing both "the muscle" used for physical tasks and "the mind" used for creative and intellectual work. The message: adaptation is urgent, and oversight must be intentional.
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