Hyundai Motor Group Chair Euisun Chung Unveils Physical AI Vision, Robotics Partnerships at San Francisco Summit
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung outlined a roadmap to become a 'Physical AI solution company' through robotics, AI factories, and partnerships with NVIDIA, Waymo, and Boston Dynamics.
- 150
- 50,000
- 30,000 units
What Happened
At the San Francisco AI Summit on July 24, 2026, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung presented the Group's Physical AI vision to about 150 attendees, including Korean business leaders, U.S. tech executives, startup representatives, and students. He described a transformation beyond automotive manufacturing into autonomous driving, robotics, and AI Defined Factories. The Group aims to become a Physical AI solution company.
“Hyundai Motor Group is evolving beyond the traditional boundaries of automotive manufacturing by expanding into autonomous driving, robotics and AI Defined Factories, accelerating our transformation into a Physical AI solution company.”
The vision has three levels: intelligent devices such as vehicles and robots, intelligent spaces such as AI factories where AI integrates logistics, production, and quality management, and city-level integrated intelligence connecting energy, mobility, and robotics infrastructure. The Group cites a data flywheel that links real-world operations with AI advancement. This flywheel draws on large-scale manufacturing, mobility, robotics, and service operations.
- NVIDIA: 50,000 Blackwell GPU supply agreement and an MOU last year to advance Korea's Physical AI capabilities; work on a Robot Reference Platform, Hyundai Motor Group Robot Application Center, NVIDIA
- Waymo: continued strategic partnership on autonomous driving; IONIQ 5 vehicles with autonomous-ready modifications will be produced at HMGMA in Georgia.
- Boston Dynamics: strategic partnership with Google DeepMind to accelerate next-generation humanoid robots; Atlas humanoid robot is highlighted as a Physical AI example.
- Korea ecosystem: investment in Saemangeum AI Valley and other initiatives to support robotics and AI growth.
Signed MOU with NVIDIA to advance Korea's Physical AI capabilities.
Executive Chair Euisun Chung announces Physical AI vision at San Francisco AI Summit.
Plans for U.S. robot production facility with annual capacity of up to 30,000 units.
Hyundai plans to establish a robot production facility in the U.S. with an annual capacity of up to 30,000 units by 2028. The Atlas humanoid robot will first be deployed at facilities including HMGMA before expanding through phased validation. The Group also expects its Korea investments to contribute to industrial competitiveness, balanced regional development, job creation, and economic vitality.
“The outcomes of collaboration with global technology leaders should contribute to the growth of Korea's Physical AI industry. To that end, Hyundai Motor Group plans to foster an open ecosystem that supports innovation in robotics and AI technologies.”
Why this matters
Hyundai is positioning itself beyond car manufacturing by moving into robotics and AI-defined factories, turning real-world operations into training data. The partnerships with NVIDIA, Waymo, and Google DeepMind could fast-track autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots. With a planned U.S. robot plant and Korea-focused AI investments, the strategy may affect future mobility options, tech jobs, and manufacturing competitiveness in both countries.
Terms in This Story
- Physical AI
- Artificial intelligence that operates in and interacts with the physical world, such as in robots, vehicles, and automated factories.
- Data flywheel
- A cycle where real-world operational data feeds AI improvement, which in turn enhances real-world performance, generating more data.
- Digital twin
- A virtual replica of a physical asset or process used for simulation, monitoring, and optimization.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.