Lotte Group, led by Chairman Shin Dong-bin, is moving companywide to accelerate its artificial intelligence transformation (AX).
According to Lotte Corporation on the 16th, Chairman Shin took part in the "CEO AI Academy" in person on the 5th and 6th. The CEO AI training, themed on changing CEOs' perception to drive AI innovation, has been held every weekend since the 1st for about 50 affiliate CEOs, and the course concluded on the 6th.
Attending the training, Chairman Shin built AI services based on vibe coding (a method in which AI implements code when requirements are entered in natural language) and directly developed an AI agent. Lotte Corporation said Shin then reviewed the group's AX promotion strategy and held in-depth discussions on the direction going forward.
Shin said, "AX has become the top priority for the group's survival, not a choice," and emphasized, "To drive a transformative change in how we work, we will support all employees in acquiring AI agent development capabilities."
Within the year, Lotte plans to conduct "AI agent practical training" for all employees across the group so they can acquire the capabilities to develop AI agents needed for their jobs. AI will quickly handle practical tasks such as data analysis and report writing, while employees will focus on the essence of each task to raise productivity.
To encourage employees' use of AI, Lotte will introduce external Generative AI next month. It also plans to hold events such as the "Lotte AI Hackathon," which comprehensively tests employees' ability to build AI agents, and the "AI Challenge," which evaluates the progress of core AI projects at each affiliate.
Related capabilities will also be the most important criteria in hiring and evaluations.
In addition, starting on the 18th, Lotte will gather about 150 group executives in charge of AI and IT for two days and one night to share AX strategies and discuss ways to strengthen group competitiveness through them.
As one of the representative examples of the AX strategy Lotte is pursuing, Lotte Innovate has moved to expand its "physical AI" business that combines Generative AI and robotics. With the goal of commercializing "robot service (RaaS)" based on general-purpose physical AI, it is developing a Humanoid Robot that can be used in the field.
Lotte Global Logistics is also conducting field tests in logistics sites of a bipedal AI Humanoid Robot in partnership with robotics corporation Robros and with Kyunghee University, Kwangwoon University, and Sogang University.