Korean AI robotics companies are relocating their research operations to Silicon Valley to access top-tier talent, with Samsung, LG, and Hyundai establishing or expanding facilities in the region. This exodus reflects growing concerns about Korea’s restrictive research environment, which industry experts say could undermine the government’s ambitious goal to become a global leader in “physical AI” despite plans to invest $4.3 billion over five years.
The talent exodus: Major Korean conglomerates are betting their robotics future on Silicon Valley expertise rather than domestic capabilities.
- Samsung Research America hired Kris Hauser, a University of Illinois professor with awards from IEEE and the National Science Foundation, to lead its Robot Intelligence Lab in Mountain View.
- LG CNS established an AI and robotics R&D center in San Jose last month, while LG Electronics acquired Silicon Valley startup Bear Robotics earlier this year.
- Hyundai Motor operates its innovation center, Hyundai Cradle, in Mountain View with a focus on robotics and emerging technologies.
Why Silicon Valley: The region has evolved from an IT hub into the epicenter of AI robotics innovation, creating an irresistible talent magnet.
- Universities like Stanford and UC Berkeley cluster alongside tech giants Google, Tesla, and Nvidia.
- Viral robotics startups like Figure AI, known for its dishwashing robot, are based in the area.
- The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency hosted its first Career Connect event in June to help Korean companies recruit local talent, with another AI-focused event planned for October.
Korea’s research limitations: Despite government investment plans, structural barriers are driving talent away from domestic research environments.
- The 52-hour workweek regulation forces researchers to leave at 6 p.m., creating frustration among scientists who need flexible hours for breakthrough work.
- “Even if you bring top talent with generous salaries, the quality of research they can do here is limited,” said Choi Jae-boong, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University.
- AeiROBOT CEO Sheal Eum noted that overseas talent refused recruitment, saying they “can’t work in an environment where research hours are regulated.”
What they’re saying: Industry experts emphasize that restrictive environments stifle the kind of research necessary for AI robotics breakthroughs.
- “In Silicon Valley, researchers can freely pursue areas like autonomous driving, but in Korea, the constraints are much tighter,” Choi explained.
- Lee Kyoo-bin from Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology noted that “companies are partnering with top universities and competing to secure talent” as software bottlenecks in AI robotics research are being rapidly addressed.
- “For technology industries to grow, the key is nurturing and supporting talent,” Lee added. “We need to create an environment where top experts can pursue their research without restrictions.”
The big picture: Korea’s $4.3 billion investment in physical AI over the next five years, including 500 billion won starting next year, may struggle to achieve its goals without addressing fundamental research environment issues that are pushing talent overseas.
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