GTF’s research platform on Intelligent Cities, Robotics and the Physical AI Transition.
From South Korea to the world.
About the GTF Robotics and Smart Cities Lab
First meeting: September 9th, 2026. World Smart City Expo. Busan, South Korea.
More info to come after the Lab meeting.
Artificial intelligence is leaving the screen.
Robots, autonomous vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, and embodied AI are beginning to transform the physical environment of cities — creating opportunities that extend far beyond the traditional idea of the “smart city”.
The GTF Robotics Lab brings together policymakers, researchers, city leaders, and technology companies to explore what happens next.
How will different cultures respond to robots becoming part of everyday urban life? What will intelligent cities look like in 2027 — and by 2030? How should governments prepare their leaders, redesign procurement strategies, and decide which autonomous systems they actually need? And how should companies build products and market strategies for a rapidly evolving public-sector robotics market?
Through a focused working session combining international perspectives, foresight and real-world smart-city experience, the Lab will examine the transition from AI as software to AI as an active participant in the physical world.
The objective is not simply to predict the future of robotics, but to help governments and businesses prepare for it.
Topics of the Lab’s First Edition
Imagining 2027 — and 2030
Robotics is also developing at a speed that makes conventional long-term planning increasingly difficult. Instead of attempting distant technological predictions, the Lab will focus on two deliberately near horizons: 2027 and 2030. Participants will discuss what developments they realistically expect to see in robotics and intelligent cities over the next year and over the following three years — from autonomous mobility and service robots to embodied AI and increasingly automated urban systems.
Connecting Foresight with Reality
The working session will connect the strategic discussion with real-world smart-city development. Participants will hear practical perspectives from: Mr. Sung Hoon “Billy” Back, CEO, Sejong Smart City Dr. Inhee Kim, Research Fellow, Gangnam-gu Office; incoming Chairman, Institute of Smart City and Architecture Their contributions will help test the Lab’s ideas against ongoing urban projects and provide a bridge between technological foresight and the realities of implementation.
From Smart Cities to Intelligent Cities
The first part of the Lab will therefore explore a central question: What does an intelligent city mean across cultures? Participants will examine attitudes towards robots and AI around the world, the psychology of human interaction with intelligent systems, emerging models of automated public-service delivery, and the similarities and differences shaping the global development of intelligent cities.