METI Launches FRONTia Project to Build a Foundation Model for Physical AI

METI announced the launch of FRONTia, a project to develop a domestically developed multimodal foundation model that will serve as a development platform for AI robots and physical AI. The project will be carried out by a consortium comprising Noetra Inc. and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), with Noetra handling development and AIST conducting research. The model is expected to be offered only to businesses that meet certain requirements, and the project aims to realize it by 2030.

METI's initiative will provide a domestically developed multimodal foundation model and trained weights for businesses developing robots and physical AI. Access will be limited to businesses that meet certain requirements, so developers using the model for work with physical hardware will need to assess eligibility and the scope of access.