The lack of common standards for testing, integrating, procuring and governing embodied artificial intelligence (AI) systems could hinder their wider adoption, despite the technology’s potential to improve productivity and address labor shortages, according to a new white paper by ASTM International and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG).
The paper, titled “A Pathway for Future Embodied AI Standards Development”, identifies five key areas where standardization is needed to support the safe, scalable and trusted deployment of embodied AI systems.
Embodied AI refers to the integration of AI into physical systems such as robots, autonomous vehicles and intelligent machines, enabling them to operate in dynamic real-world environments and perform complex tasks.
The technology could create new services and improve operational efficiency, particularly as economies grapple with persistent labor shortages and ageing populations. However, the absence of common standards remains a constraint to mass adoption.
The five priority areas identified in the paper are data governance and privacy compliance; AI safety and reliability; workplace safety and risk management; interoperability and middleware standards; and quality certification and procurement standards.
These areas cover the need for consistent data governance practices, common approaches to testing and benchmarking, measures to minimize physical risks, and standards to ensure different systems and infrastructure can work together reliably.
The paper also highlights the importance of certification and procurement frameworks to help organizations assess whether embodied AI systems are suitable for their intended applications.
The white paper was developed through a collaboration between ASTM International and EnterpriseSG, through the Singapore Standards Council (SSC), with contributions from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National Robotics Program.
It followed a workshop organized by EnterpriseSG in July 2025, which brought together more than 140 industry representatives, including companies, regulators, researchers and academics, to assess industry demand for embodied AI and identify barriers to wider deployment.
ASTM International president Andy Kireta said standards were essential in turning promising technologies into trusted solutions, adding that the collaboration brought together industry, research and government early in the technology’s development.
The white paper marked the starting point for efforts to develop standards for embodied AI as the technology scales, he said.
EnterpriseSG director-general for quality and excellence Choy Sauw Kook said standards could help build the trust needed for widespread adoption as embodied AI moved from development into practical applications.
Technology alone would not determine the success of embodied AI, as industries also needed common approaches to safety, reliability and interoperability, she said.
ASTM International and EnterpriseSG will bring the gaps identified in the paper to their respective technical committees and global member networks, covering robotics, autonomous systems and AI, to help prioritize future standards development.
“Standards are how promising technology becomes trusted technology, and embodied AI is no exception. Working with EnterpriseSG through the Singapore Standards Council, A*STAR, and the National Robotics Program, ASTM International is doing what it has done across fields from additive manufacturing to exo technologies: bringing industry, research, and government together early, so that standards are ready as the technology scales. This white paper is the starting point for that work in embodied AI,” said Andy Kireta, president of ASTM International.
Choy Sauw Kook, director-general (quality & excellence) at EnterpriseSG, said that as embodied AI moves from possibility to practice, standards can help shape its development and build the trust needed for widespread adoption.
“Technology alone will not determine its success – industry also needs shared approaches to safety, reliability and interoperability. By bringing together industry, research and government, our collaboration with ASTM International aims to turn collective expertise into practical solutions, setting shared priorities and laying the foundations for embodied AI to operate safely, effectively and confidently alongside people and across different environments,” she added.
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