LG Electronics will establish a Robotics business center reporting directly to the chief executive officer (CEO). The plan is to speed up commercialization in robots, a future business based on physical artificial intelligence (AI), by bringing business development, sales, supply chain, and manufacturing capabilities together in one organization.
LG Electronics said on the 30th it will carry out an organizational reshuffle to create a Robotics business center. Song Si-yong was appointed to lead the new organization, which will be launched on the 1st of next month. Song previously served as head of manufacturing capability enhancement under the LG Electronics Production Engineering Research Institute, head of production system solutions, and head of the Smart Factory Solutions Center.
Regarding the reshuffle, the company said it was a "one-point measure about four months ahead of the year-end regular personnel appointments," adding it "reflects the strategic importance of the Robotics business, which is being driven as a future business based on physical AI, and our commitment to nurture it."
The Robotics business center will operate as a complete organization equipped with business development, sales, and operations functions. Through this, LG Electronics plans to bring together in one place all the functions needed for actual commercialization in the robot field, from discovering business opportunities to supply chain management and securing manufacturing capabilities.
Under the center, there will also be a dedicated organization for a data factory for robot training. A data factory is the foundation that generates and manages the training data needed for robots to operate in real-world environments. LG Electronics plans to use this organization to secure high-quality data and link it to the advancement of the Robot Foundation Model (RFM).
LG Electronics expects the reshuffle will also strengthen Robotics business governance. The company said it will simplify decision-making, promote the internalization of core technologies, and secure cost competitiveness to raise execution across the robot business.
Collaboration with affiliates is also expected to expand. Centered on the Robotics business center, LG Electronics plans to strengthen "One LG" collaboration that connects capabilities across the group, including LG CNS and LG AI Research Institute. It is also considering expanding partnerships with global big tech.
LG Electronics will target the market with three pillars: home, industrial, and commercial robots. It will add home robots handled by the Robotics business center to the industrial and commercial robot base built around subsidiaries Robostar and Bear Robotics.
The company sees this year as the first year to lay the foundation for the robot business. Its goal is to expand into a comprehensive Robotics solutions company that has not only finished goods but also core parts such as actuators and even a data factory for data generation and training.
LG Electronics is building a large-scale data factory for robot training at the Yangjae R&D Campus in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The goal is to begin operations within the year. For actuators, a core robot component, the company is preparing domestic production based on more than 60 years of accumulated motor technology and is also pursuing ways to supply them to external customers.