As robots evolve beyond simple automation machines that merely follow human instructions, the industry is rapidly entering the era of Physical AI—systems capable of autonomous decision-making, collaboration, and task execution. Alongside this shift, competition in the robotics industry is moving away from hardware specifications toward a more practical benchmark: how accurately and reliably robots can replace human labor in real industrial settings.
Against this backdrop, LG CNS is drawing attention as a leading player in Korea’s Physical AI market. By combining extensive experience accumulated across manufacturing and logistics sites with advanced AI and systems integration capabilities, the company is positioning robots as active workers on the shop floor rather than experimental technologies.
“LG CNS has strengths in fine-tuning robot hardware with real industrial data and deploying robots that actually operate in the field,” said Hyun Shin-kyun, CEO of LG CNS. “Even after robots are deployed, the continuous cycle of learning, monitoring, and re-learning will be the core competitive factor in industrial applications.”
Industry observers view Korea—home to a large manufacturing base with diverse and complex production processes—as an ideal market for validating and advancing Physical AI technologies. As a result, global robotics and AI companies are increasingly using Korean manufacturing sites as key testbeds.
“In a manufacturing-centric market like Korea, we are rapidly accumulating Physical AI capabilities and applying them in real environments to secure a competitive edge,” Hyun said. “LG CNS, with its deep understanding of industrial sites, is well positioned to lead the Physical AI market.”
Unifying heterogeneous robots through the Maestro strategy
At the heart of LG CNS’s Physical AI approach is not individual robots, but an integrated design capability that allows robots from different manufacturers and with different purposes to operate as a coordinated team. This concept, known as Maestro, serves as a system that orchestrates role allocation and collaboration among multiple robots.
LG CNS directly conducts the entire process from robot training to testing and validation. Given that manufacturing and logistics sites have highly distinct workflows, the company emphasizes a deep understanding of real operational flows and decision-making criteria. “We train robots to understand the language and rules of the field by comprehensively reflecting process characteristics, task difficulty, and industry-specific requirements,” Hyun explained.
After deployment, LG CNS provides end-to-end services covering integrated control, operation, and maintenance. By connecting heterogeneous robots to a unified robot operation platform, operators can manage and control them from a single interface. When tasks are assigned, the system analyzes each robot’s location and status to optimize work allocation. Issues identified during operations are continuously addressed to enhance performance and stability.
The company is also preparing a data platform that enables robots to continuously learn from on-site data, with the goal of building intelligent robotic systems that can autonomously adapt to changing environments.
LG CNS is expanding proof-of-concept projects in the field of industrial humanoid robots as well. It is currently conducting PoC programs at factories and logistics centers of more than 10 customers, applying scenarios such as component inspection in shipbuilding and loading and retrieval tasks in logistics centers. The focus is on automating high-value processes that require rapid judgment or involve elevated safety risks, with the aim of improving both productivity and workplace safety.
From AX consulting to execution, focusing on results rather than experiments
Another key growth pillar for LG CNS is its AX (AI transformation) business based on agentic AI. AX goes beyond the simple adoption of AI technologies, emphasizing the redesign of work structures and processes around AI. This year, LG CNS plans to concentrate on delivering tangible business outcomes through a triangular framework of AX consulting, platforms, and services.
At the center of its AX business is Entrue Consulting, a specialized consulting organization established by LG CNS in 1991. Drawing on experience across finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and retail, the organization has built an end-to-end model that connects strategy formulation with execution. Recently, the consulting organization was restructured into practice-based units to strengthen industry-specific AX execution capabilities.
During implementation, LG CNS deploys optimized combinations of its proprietary agentic AI platform AgenticWorks and its business innovation service AXThink, tailored to each client’s environment. The company also operates an “AX laboratory” strategy, applying AI internally first to validate performance and risks before rolling out solutions to customers.
In parallel, LG CNS has internally adopted solutions such as its AI coding platform DevOn AI Native Development and agentic AI for recruitment, enhancing solution maturity through real-world use. Based on these validated agentic AI technologies, the company aims to accelerate customers’ AX transformation.
Meanwhile, LG CNS also serves as a key think tank responsible for establishing and executing AX master plans across the broader LG Group. Starting with LG Display, the company is expanding the application of AXThink and plans to extend agentic AI–based innovation across LG affiliates in the future.
