Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics established CEO-level robotics business organizations this month to accelerate their entry into the physical AI market. Samsung created the RX (Robotics eXperience) Business Promotion Office directly under its CEO, while LG launched a Robotics Business Center with the same reporting structure. The organizational elevations consolidate previously scattered robotics capabilities across both companies into integrated units responsible for strategy, R&D, productization, and commercialization. Both companies are constructing large-scale data factories—Samsung in its Gumi facility and LG at its Yangae R&D Campus—to accumulate operational data from manufacturing and service environments for training robot foundation models. The moves reflect intensified competition in physical AI following CES 2026, where Hyundai Motor Group showcased Boston Dynamics' humanoid Atlas and LG displayed its LG CLOi home robot, while Samsung's exhibition lacked a flagship robotics product.
Samsung Electronics Establishes RX Business Promotion Office Under CEO
Samsung Electronics recently established the RX (Robotics eXperience) Business Promotion Office as a direct report to its CEO. The new unit serves as a control tower overseeing mid- to long-term strategy formulation, core technology development, productization, and commercialization. Samsung is consolidating robotics personnel and experimental infrastructure at its Seoul R&D Campus in Umyeon-dong and constructing a data factory at its Gumi facility. The data factory will collect and process operational data generated in manufacturing environments to enhance robot intelligence and control capabilities while reducing deployment timelines for production lines.
Samsung is establishing research bases in the United States, China, and Japan to secure local technologies and talent. The organizational restructuring follows Samsung's acquisition of a 35% stake in Rainbow Robotics in late 2024, making it the largest shareholder, and the subsequent establishment of a Future Robotics Promotion Group.
Samsung Appoints Robotics Leadership and Expands Global Research Network
Vice President Lee Dong-gun, who previously led Boston Dynamics' robotics strategy at Hyundai Motor Group, assumed the role of Robotics Strategy Team Leader at Samsung. Professor Kim Hyun-jin from Seoul National University, a robot control specialist, and Professor Kim Eui-gyeom from Ajou University, an expert in robotic hands and manipulation, joined the organization.
Samsung CEO Roh Tae-moon stated at CES 2026 that the company would prioritize factory automation first, then expand into B2C robotics based on accumulated technology and data. The strategy focuses on validating business viability with industrial robots before launching consumer products.
LG Electronics Launches Robotics Business Center This Month
LG Electronics launched a CEO-level Robotics Business Center this month as a complete business organization integrating business development, sales, supply chain, and manufacturing functions. The structure differs from Hyundai Motor Group's approach of centering robotics operations around subsidiary Boston Dynamics—LG Electronics directly leads robotics business within its parent company rather than delegating exclusively to subsidiaries.
LG's organizational structure assigns industrial robots to subsidiary RoboStar and commercial robots to Bear Robotics, while the parent company's Robotics Business Center leads home robotics and overall business strategy. LG Electronics is constructing a large-scale data factory at its Yangae R&D Campus in Seoul, targeting operation within the year. The facility will accumulate motion data from human operators remotely controlling robots to pick and move objects, using this data to train robot foundation models (RFM).
Both Companies Construct Data Factories for Robot Training
Samsung and LG are building data factories to generate high-quality behavioral data in actual operational environments. Industry observers note that in physical AI competition, such real-world training data determines business competitiveness more than robot appearance or one-time demonstrations. Both companies' domestic and international production facilities and consumer service touchpoints are expected to serve as core assets for iterative robot training and performance validation.
LG Electronics aims to transform into a comprehensive robotics solution provider by securing not only home, industrial, and commercial robot finished products but also actuators utilizing proprietary motor technology and robot training data.
Rainbow Robotics Q1 Revenue Doubles Amid Expanded Operating Losses
Rainbow Robotics' first-quarter revenue more than doubled year-over-year, but operating losses expanded. While collaboration with Samsung Electronics is increasing, humanoids and mobile manipulators have not yet entered full-scale mass production and monetization stages. Industry analysts interpret Samsung and LG's consolidation of robotics capabilities into parent company organizations as a response to subsidiaries' inability to deliver business results meeting market expectations. The companies are directly accelerating commercialization by centralizing strategy, R&D, productization, and sales-production functions internally rather than relying solely on affiliate-led business development.
FAQ
What organizational changes did Samsung Electronics make for robotics?
Samsung Electronics recently established the RX (Robotics eXperience) Business Promotion Office directly under its CEO. The unit consolidates robotics capabilities across the company and oversees strategy, core technology development, productization, and commercialization. Vice President Lee Dong-gun leads the Robotics Strategy Team, with Professor Kim Hyun-jin and Professor Kim Eui-gyeom joining as specialists.
What is LG Electronics' Robotics Business Center structure?
LG Electronics launched a CEO-level Robotics Business Center this month as a complete business organization integrating business development, sales, supply chain, and manufacturing functions. The parent company leads home robotics and overall strategy, while subsidiaries RoboStar handles industrial robots and Bear Robotics manages commercial robots. LG is constructing a data factory at its Yangae R&D Campus targeting operation within the year.
Why are Samsung and LG building data factories?
Both companies are constructing data factories to collect operational data from manufacturing and service environments for training robot foundation models. Samsung's facility is located in Gumi, while LG's is at the Yangae R&D Campus in Seoul. The facilities will accumulate motion data to enhance robot intelligence and control capabilities, reducing deployment timelines for production lines.
