A humanoid, bipedal robot successfully followed a human command to transport engine components from a shelf on one side of a workspace to another. Using its hands, the robot retrieved parts from horizontally arranged shelves. Equipped with a facial camera, it identified that the destination shelf was vertically oriented and adjusted accordingly, placing the components upright. If an item did not fit on the first attempt, the robot applied additional pressure to secure it. It also demonstrated human-like agility, bending its knees to pick up fallen parts with fluid motion.
This task was part of the artificial intelligence (AI) training process for “All-New Atlas,” a bipedal robot developed by Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor Group subsidiary. Hyundai released a video of the robot’s learning process on Mar. 5. The company plans to deploy the robot in a production facility by year-end for trial operations alongside human workers, aiming to automate repetitive tasks, reduce worker strain, and enhance efficiency.
“By assigning simple, repetitive tasks such as transporting parts to robots, we aim to reduce the burden on workers and improve production efficiency,” a Hyundai official said.
South Korean conglomerates, including Hyundai, Samsung, and LG, are ramping up investment in humanoid robotics, viewing the integration of robotics and AI—referred to as “physical AI”—as a critical growth driver. Physical AI involves embedding AI technology into robotic systems to solve real-world challenges. Companies are focusing on advanced humanoid robots that not only resemble humans in form but also replicate human-like movement, leveraging generative AI capabilities.
The global humanoid robotics sector has been dominated by U.S. tech giants such as Google, Meta, and Tesla, along with Chinese firms. South Korean companies are now intensifying research efforts and increasing investments to establish a foothold in the industry.
According to industry sources, Samsung Electronics recently consolidated its scattered robotics development teams from various business units and research labs into a dedicated “robotics business team” with approximately 50 members. While consumer-facing robotic products, such as the home companion robot “Ballie,” set for release in the first half of the year, will continue to be developed within business divisions, the new team will focus on future humanoid robotics.
Samsung is also expanding its collaboration with Rainbow Robotics, a humanoid robot developer it acquired as a subsidiary in December. Known for creating the bipedal humanoid “HUBO,” Rainbow Robotics is now under Samsung’s umbrella following the company’s final payment for its stake acquisition last month. Samsung secured regulatory approval from the Fair Trade Commission on Mar. 5. In parallel, Samsung established the Future Robotics Task Force under its DX division, appointing Rainbow Robotics founder and KAIST honorary professor Oh Jun-ho as its head.
LG Electronics is also making strategic moves in robotics, recently securing management control of U.S.-based autonomous commercial robotics firm Bear Robotics. LG plans to launch its AI-powered assistant robot “Q9,” introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), later this year. The company has also initiated foundational research in humanoid robotics. According to industry sources, LG’s Advanced Robotics Lab, operating under the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) division, recently acquired a state-of-the-art humanoid robot from China’s Unitree Robotics to further its research and testing.
With demand for unmanned factory robots and home service robots expected to surge in the coming years, South Korean conglomerates are aggressively positioning themselves in the humanoid robotics sector. Samsung aims to leverage its expertise in semiconductor manufacturing to gain a competitive edge in industrial humanoids, while LG is focusing on integrating its proprietary AI model “Exaone” with extensive consumer appliance data to develop more intuitive home-use robots.
