Build a new engine for growth! Samsung establishes robotics division, with former Boston Dynamics strategy executive at the helm

The Zhitong Finance App learned that Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday that it will establish a robotics division reporting directly to the CEO to accelerate the R&D and commercialization process in this field and turn the robotics business into a new growth engine.

The Korean consortium said that the department called RX (Robotics Experience, Robotics Experience) will coordinate medium- to long-term robotics strategies, core technology research and development, and business execution, while expanding domestic surgical research capabilities.

Samsung said in a statement that Executive Vice President Lee Dongkun will lead the robotics strategy team. Li Dongkun previously led Hyundai Motor Group's robotics strategy, including planning the development direction of Boston Dynamics.

Samsung also said it plans to set up robotics research centers in countries where robotics technology is rapidly developing, such as the United States, China, and Japan, to use local ecosystems and expertise to enhance competitiveness.

The move stemmed from its broader robotics business promotion plan. In a performance conference call in January of this year, Samsung stated that its goal is to achieve “substantial” results in its humanoid robot business within this year.

In April of this year, Samsung said it would consider investing and acquiring when necessary to accelerate the development and commercialization of robotics technology, while also collaborating with local partner companies to jointly carry out technology research and development.

Samsung also pointed out that advances in technologies such as physical AI (Physical AI) are making the robotics business increasingly viable. The company plans to develop humanoid robots to simultaneously enhance productivity and user experience; initially deployed at manufacturing sites and later expanded into the home and retail sectors.