Hyundai Motor has joined the Korea AI & Robot Industry Association as a vice-chair company. With Hyundai expanding its humanoid and physical AI business centered on Boston Dynamics, its participation as a key executive member is expected to broaden collaboration within the domestic robot industry.
According to industry sources on the 15th, the Korea AI & Robot Industry Association recently held a board meeting and approved Hyundai Motor as a new vice-chair company.
Hyundai Motor joined the association in late 2009 as a general member and recently submitted an application to become a vice-chair company.
Hyundai's vice-chair membership aligns with the growing participation of large corporations, following Samsung Electronics' role as chair company this year. The association elected Oh Joon-ho, head of Samsung Electronics' Future Robot Task Force, as its 12th chairman during the February general meeting. With Samsung as chair and Hyundai as vice-chair, the association's engagement with major conglomerates in electronics and automotive sectors has significantly strengthened.
The association's membership has recently grown to 440 companies, with 35 executive members, including 15 vice-chair companies. Vice-chair companies play a pivotal role in shaping the association's operational direction and business initiatives. The participation of major conglomerates like Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and Hyundai Motor as core executive members is expected to accelerate technological and business collaborations between robotics specialists and large enterprises. Current vice-chair companies include Doosan Robotics, Neuromec, and Yujin Robot, while executive members include Rainbow Robotics, POSCO DX, and DN Solutions.
Hyundai's vice-chair membership is also notable as the group positions AI robotics as a future core business. At 'CES 2026,' Hyundai Motor Group unveiled Boston Dynamics' next-generation humanoid 'Atlas' and presented a strategy to build an AI robotics value chain spanning robot development, learning, production, and operation. Starting in 2028, the group plans to gradually deploy Atlas at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) and establish an annual production system for 30,000 robots.
Hyundai Motor Group affiliates have been actively participating in the association, with Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Wia, Hyundai Transys, and Hyundai Rotem as members. Among them, Hyundai Rotem is a vice-chair company. With Hyundai Motor, leading the automotive business, newly joining as vice-chair, the group's collaborative scope in the robot industry is expected to expand further.
An industry insider stated, “Hyundai's vice-chair membership symbolizes its commitment to advancing robotics business,” adding, “Leveraging its automotive manufacturing, supply chain, and mass production expertise, Hyundai can contribute to domestic robot companies' technological validation, commercialization, demand creation, and expansion of the component ecosystem.”
