[DigitalToday reporter Chi-gyu Hwang] Industry moves toward engineering and physical AI that go beyond simple large language models (LLMs) and cover everything from semiconductor design to 3D models of products and robot operations are gaining momentum. As interest in AI-driven manufacturing innovation grows, cooperation among companies is also active. Startups are also moving faster, not just big companies.

Dassault Systemes introduced AI-based "Virtual Companions" on its 3DEXPERIENCE platform that can be used for specialised design work. Virtual Companions go beyond LLMs. They were built by combining Industry World Models, AI, and multiscale, multidisciplinary modelling and simulation validated by physical laws and materials science, based on scientific foundations and decades of accumulated industrial knowledge.

ㆍDassault Systemes "Expand industry world models with Virtual Companions"...融合 with physics and materials science

World Labs, an AI startup led by Stanford University professor Fei-Fei Li (페이페이 리), secured a $200 million investment from design software company Autodesk. The two companies plan to combine World Labs' AI model with Autodesk CAD software to develop new use cases in architecture, engineering and entertainment. Video-generation AI startup Runway also recently raised $315 million in a Series E round and is speeding up development of next-generation world models. South Korean AI startup Trillion Labs developed a mobile world model, gWorld-32B, that learns causal relationships in the surrounding environment and simulates future changes.

ㆍWorld Labs raises $200 million from Autodesk…cooperation on 3D spatial AI ㆍRunway raises $315 million...accelerates world model development ㆍTrillion Labs develops mobile world model 'gWorld-32B'

Yeo-eui System will take part in the 2026 Smart Factory and Automation Industry Exhibition (AW 2026) held at COEX in Seoul from March 4 to 6, and will showcase an integrated "Physical AI" solution, a key to implementing unmanned factories.

ㆍYeo-eui System to unveil 'Physical AI' solution targeting unmanned factories at AW 2026

Excitement is also building in the market for AI-based chip design software. Cadence Design Systems announced ChipStack, an AI "super agent" that can be used in semiconductor design and verification.

ㆍCadence announces ChipStack, an AI agent targeting semiconductor design

Startups have also made notable moves recently. Recursive Intelligence, an AI-based chip design automation startup, raised $335 million at a $4 billion valuation just four months after its founding. ChipAgents also raised $50 million in Series A1 funding and is developing a platform that automates chip design processes using AI agents.

ㆍRecursive Intelligence raises $335 million..."Innovate chip design with AI" ㆍChipAgents raises $50 million…accelerates AI-based chip design automation

With the Motif Technologies consortium additionally selected for the elite team of the "independent AI foundation model" project overseen by the Ministry of Science and ICT, a race among four elite teams heading into the second round has begun in earnest.

ㆍMotif consortium "Will build a truly different 'independent AI foundation model' from the design stage" ㆍOpening of round 2 of Dokpamo…what to watch?

Moves to expand consortia and advance models are also busy.

ㆍRealWorld-Upstage cooperate on Dokpamo consortium...validation of a robotics foundation model ㆍEllice Group joins Dokpamo LG AI Research consortium…in charge of K-Exaone infrastructure ㆍNdotLight joins Dokpamo Motif consortium...in charge of 3D data infrastructure

Moves by tech companies at home and abroad to develop or use AI directly continued this week as well.

Google added an automated workflow creation feature to its vibe coding app Opal. Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled a new AI video transformation tool, AWS Elemental Inference, targeting the social media live streaming market. YouTube began testing an expansion of interactive AI features to smart TVs, game consoles and streaming devices.

ㆍGoogle adds automated workflow creation feature to vibe coding app Opal ㆍAWS releases AI video transformation tool…supports vertical screen optimisation for social media ㆍYouTube expands interactive AI features to smart TVs as well

Anthropic upgraded Claude for Work and added plug-in features that can connect with Google Drive, Gmail, DocuSign, FactSet and others. With the update, Claude for Work was improved so companies can use it more easily. Companies can improve productivity by using plug-ins tailored to specific tasks such as financial analysis, engineering and HR management.

ㆍAnthropic upgrades productivity AI 'Claude for Work'…targets enterprise market

A report said OpenAI will release a smart speaker as its first hardware product in 2027. The OpenAI smart speaker is expected to include a camera and a facial recognition system in addition to ChatGPT functions. The price is expected to be between $200 and $300.

ㆍOpenAI's first hardware to be a smart speaker with a camera...priced in the $200 to $300 range

AI coding startup Cursor announced an update to its AI coding agent. The company said the update allows the agent to test changes on its own and record work in video, logs and screenshots. Users can run the agent on the web, the Cursor desktop app, mobile, the messaging platform Slack, and Microsoft GitHub. AI developer platform GitHub released its intent-driven repository solution, GitHub Agentic Workflows, on GitHub Actions as a technical preview.

ㆍAI coding tool Cursor rolls out major upgrade...what changed ㆍGitHub unveils repository work automation solution 'GitHub Agentic Workflows'

Data backup software company Veeam Software released "Agent Commander" to manage risks from AI using data and to roll back mistakes. Madras Check released a "project design AI agent" on its collaboration tool Flow. With the update, Flow is accelerating a shift from a simple management tool to an "AI collaboration platform" that intervenes from the planning stage.

ㆍVeeam releases 'Agent Commander' solution to respond to AI risks and recover agent mistakes ㆍCollaboration tool Flow releases 'project design AI agent'

ElevenLabs, an AI audio research and development startup, will conduct a proof of concept (PoC) with WITZ, a startup specialising in character brands and publicity-rights IP licensing, to train and use the voice of voice actor Han-sung Bae (배한성) with AI.

ㆍElevenLabs to test using voice actor Han-sung Bae's voice with AI with WITZ

AhnLab Cloudmate, which entered the cloud managed service provider (MSP) business in 2021, has expressed confidence it will achieve a clear operating profit this year. In the MSP market, where it is known to be difficult to generate profits even when sales rise, the company has its own reason for emphasising profitability. It is its proprietary product strategy targeting the AI transformation (AX) market. The company plans to supply its self-developed products to customers secured through its cloud MSP business as a foothold to increase profits. Hancom presented a blueprint to solidify its position as an AI orchestration company that coordinates collaboration among different AIs. ITCEN CLoit signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with AI technology company Upstage for "business cooperation based on a generative AI model and agent platform". AI startup Waddle will set up a subsidiary, Waddle Labs, in San Francisco, backed by its AI growth agent Gentoo, and step up its entry into the global market.

ㆍ[DT People] "Achieve clear profits through synergy of in-house AX solutions and cloud MSP" ㆍHancom evolves into an 'AI orchestration' company ㆍITCEN CLoit-Upstage join hands on generative AI and agent business ㆍWaddle enters U.S. market with shopping mall operations AI agent 'Gentoo' Travel tech company Yanolja's R&D subsidiary Yanolja Next unveiled three in-house AI solutions.

ㆍYanolja Next unveils three travel AI solutions…"External supply possible as early as this year"

With software shares recently plunging on concerns about AI threats, Canva moved to respond by strengthening its acquisition strategy. Canva acquired 2D animation software company Calvary and advertising AI startup MangoAI. Global AI-based collaboration tool Notion launched "Custom Agents" that run automated workflows based on schedules and triggers.

ㆍCanva acquires animation and advertising AI startups ㆍNotion officially launches Custom Agents…automates repetitive tasks

Signs are also being detected that it is not as easy as before for companies that sell AI applications to do sales, drawing attention. Among AI software companies, there is talk that as companies move into a cautious mode, it is taking longer than last year to make purchase decisions.

ㆍ"Selling AI software is not as easy as it used to be"...why?

As U.S. and Chinese AI companies race to introduce new AI models, interest is high among the tech industry and users in how much AI performance will improve. In that context, there is a view that beyond technology, price competition will also be an important point to watch in the race between U.S. and Chinese AI companies. In that context, Anthropic claimed that Chinese AI companies used the Claude AI model without authorisation to improve their own AI performance. Anthropic's position is that Chinese AI startups DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax created more than 24,000 fake accounts, interacted with Claude more than 16 million times, and imitated Claude using a distillation technique.

ㆍ[Tech Inside] Beyond performance...China-driven 'AI price war' imminent ㆍAnthropic "Chinese AI startups used 'Claude' without authorisation"

Following enterprise software, the security industry has also come within the direct impact of AI-driven threat narratives. After Anthropic released security features, shares of major security companies also fell sharply. Many still see it as difficult for AI to replace the core business model of the security industry, for now.

ㆍAnthropic hits the security industry this time...shares of related companies fall as Claude Code Security gains attention ㆍShares of major security companies keep falling after Anthropic unveils security tool ㆍSecurity industry hit by 'AI fear'..."Cannot destroy core business"

AI security and authentication platform company RaonSecure will fully implement an "AI-centered management roadmap" that includes establishing an "AI Business Division", expanding specialist staffing, and launching a security automation platform based on "agentic AI" within this year.

ㆍRaonSecure sets up AI Business Division...to launch agentic AI security automation within this year