Samsung Hires Ex-Boston Dynamics Exec in Robotics Push

Samsung Electronics Co. has hired one of South Korea’s leading robotics executives from Hyundai Motor Group to oversee a new robotics division, escalating competition in a sector emerging as the next battleground among global technology companies.

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it will establish robotics research hubs in the US, China and Japan and consolidate those operations under a newly created RX Business Office, reporting directly to co-Chief Executive Officer Roh Tae-moon.

The company appointed Dongkun Lee to lead its robotics strategy team. Lee previously oversaw Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics strategy, including the direction of Boston Dynamics, the US robot developer acquired by the automaker.

The RX Business Office will be based primarily at Samsung’s Seoul R&D Campus in Umyeon and continue investing to expand the company’s robotics business infrastructure, Samsung said in a statement.

The move underscores how robotics has become a strategic priority for the world’s biggest technology and industrial companies as advances in artificial intelligence make machines more capable of performing increasingly complex tasks. Companies from Tesla Inc. and Alphabet Inc. to Hyundai are pouring billions of dollars into humanoid robots and factory automation, betting the technology will help offset labor shortages and unlock new sources of growth beyond smartphones, chips and electric vehicles.

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In addition, Samsung has recruited two leading professors recognized for their achievements in the field of robotics - Hyoun Jin Kim from Seoul National University and Uikyum Kim from Ajou University.

Analysts viewed the move as a precursor to more collaboration between South Korea’s two large companies.

“With a former Boston Dynamics executive appointed to a key robotics role at Samsung Electronics, collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and Samsung Group in the field of robotics is very likely to expand, and connections between the two appear to be growing through various channels,” Korea Investment & Securities Co. analysts including Changho Kim said.