Samsung Electronics is accelerating efforts to turn robotics into a key future growth engine, moving beyond technology development toward full-scale commercialization. The company plans to consolidate capabilities ranging from research and development to product planning, design and business strategy under a dedicated organization directly overseen by its top executive. By leveraging extensive manufacturing data, Samsung aims to speed up the development and commercialization of general-purpose humanoid robots.
On July 21, Samsung Electronics announced the launch of the Robotics Experience (RX) Business Promotion Office under TM Roh, CEO and head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division. The new organization will serve as a control tower overseeing the company's overall robotics business, including the formulation of mid- to long-term strategies, core technology development, design and product planning.
The organizational restructuring is widely seen as a move to transform robotics from a future-oriented research project into a business capable of generating tangible revenue. Samsung has strengthened its robotics capabilities through the acquisition of Rainbow Robotics and the operation of its Future Robotics Task Force. The launch of the RX Business Promotion Office marks a shift toward integrating these accumulated capabilities into a unified business structure and accelerating market entry.
A key feature of Samsung's robotics strategy is its plan to use manufacturing sites as a starting point for humanoid development. The company plans to deploy manufacturing-oriented humanoid robots on production lines, collect data from their real-world operations and use that data to continuously train and improve the robots.
By allowing robots to repeatedly perform tasks in actual industrial environments, Samsung expects to enhance their capabilities in perception, decision-making and manipulation, ultimately improving their versatility. The company plans to first validate the technology in manufacturing, expand into the business-to-business (B2B) market and eventually target business-to-consumer (B2C) applications, including the home.
To support this strategy, Samsung plans to make its Seoul R&D Campus in Seocho-gu, Seoul, a key hub for its robotics operations. By bringing robotics-related personnel together, the company aims to strengthen collaboration between research and commercialization teams. It also plans to establish a data factory at its Gumi plant to systematically collect and analyze data generated in manufacturing environments.
Samsung's extensive manufacturing infrastructure is considered a major competitive advantage in securing training data for robots. The company operates diverse production facilities spanning semiconductors, smartphones and home appliances, each requiring robots to perform different tasks in varying environments.
If Samsung's plan to transform all of its domestic and overseas manufacturing facilities into AI-driven autonomous factories by 2030 progresses as planned, the range of manufacturing data available for humanoid robot training is expected to expand significantly.
Manufacturing sites across Samsung affiliates could also serve as important testing and learning grounds for robotics technology. Production environments in displays, electronic components, batteries, shipbuilding and plants could provide diverse and complex data needed to develop more versatile humanoid robots capable of operating across industries.
Samsung is also strengthening its global research network to compete in the international robotics market. The company plans to leverage research hubs in the United States, China and Japan to tap into local technology ecosystems, secure top talent and strengthen its technological capabilities. The strategy is expected to combine Samsung's in-house development capabilities with partnerships across key areas of robotics technology.
The company is also moving aggressively to recruit robotics experts. Lee Dong-gun, a Samsung Electronics executive who previously worked at Boston Dynamics, the robotics affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, has been appointed head of the Robotics Strategy Team. Experts in autonomous mobile robots and robotic hands are also expected to join the effort, further strengthening Samsung's expertise in robot mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence.
Robotic hands, in particular, are considered one of the biggest technological hurdles to commercializing humanoid robots. Developing hands capable of grasping and manipulating a wide range of objects in ways similar to humans requires sophisticated actuators, sensors and control technologies.
Samsung is therefore expected to pursue partnerships with leading global robotics companies and promising overseas startups to accelerate technological development. Mergers and acquisitions and investments in robotics startups could also become part of the company's broader strategy to expand its robotics ecosystem.
Samsung's move comes as competition among major Korean companies in the robotics sector intensifies. LG Electronics has established a Robotics Business Center directly under CEO Ryoo Jae-cheol and created a dedicated organization focused on data factories for robot training. The company is seeking to generate synergies by combining robotics with its existing strengths in home appliances, smart homes and smart factories.
Hyundai Motor Group is also expanding its presence in robotics. The group has agreed to acquire SoftBank's entire 9.65% stake in Boston Dynamics. Once completed, the transaction would give Chairman Chung Euisun and Hyundai Motor Group affiliates full ownership of Boston Dynamics, potentially accelerating the commercialization of its humanoid robot Atlas and the company's broader global expansion.
As competition intensifies, the robotics race among Korea's major conglomerates is increasingly centered on how effectively each company can combine its existing strengths with robotics and AI. Samsung is leveraging its global electronics and manufacturing capabilities and vast production data, while LG is drawing on its home appliance and smart home ecosystem and Hyundai Motor Group is integrating robotics with automotive manufacturing.
Samsung's acquisition of Rainbow Robotics, combined with its manufacturing capabilities and AI expertise, could give the company a differentiated position in the global robotics market. If its strategy of deploying humanoid robots in real-world manufacturing environments succeeds, the resulting data could accelerate both technological development and commercialization.
