Autonomous robots are being widely used across many premises like café, restaurant, warehouses, logistics and factories, as they can work as cobots or collaborative robots to help or work together with human to drip and server coffees, or carry back and forth racks and boxes.

With no end in sight to the COVID-19 pandemic’s mass-infection, self-driving robots will likely be ultimate solution to create unmanned or untact workplaces.

Korea’s largest telecom carrier KT bets on the trend. The mobile service carrier has joined hands with Yandex SDG of Russia to cooperate in AI and self-driving robot sectors.

The two companies have signed a MOU in Moscow Russia to work together to combine KT’s expertise in AI ad DX or digital transformation with Yandex’ expertise in self-driving robots.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will pair together their respective expertise not only to commercialize a series of robot models specifically designed for Korean market as well as self-driving delivery robots, but also to develop a next generation of AI robot solutions.

Back in December, the two companies had already demonstrated how a jointly-developed self-driving delivery robot prototype would work its way to walk the last mile to consignee’s premises to deliver packages.

A strategic partnership with KT Corporation gives us an opportunity to expand our autonomous delivery to a new region. The demand for last-mile delivery in South Korea is one of the highest in the world and continues to grow. Our robots will help automate the delivery process, providing businesses with a reliable and cost-effective solution,” says Dmitry Polishchuk, CEO of Yandex Self-Driving Group. 

“This agreement will let KT Corporation and Yandex develop an autonomous delivery service specifically tailored for the South Korean market to perfectly meet the needs of local customers. We expect to strengthen our partnership in the future and are looking for more business opportunities for cooperation,” says Jae-Ho Song, Vice President of KT’s AI/DX Convergence business division.

Yandex expects Korea to become its first East Asian market where Yandex autonomous delivery robots will start operating. The company’s rovers have already delivered over 85,000 orders in the US and Russia, with a new pilot launch scheduled to start in Dubai.