Korean Tech Giants Unveil AI And Battery Breakthroughs At CES

At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, South Korean technology giants made bold moves to position themselves at the forefront of artificial intelligence and advanced materials innovation. From Samsung’s vision of AI woven into everyday life to SK On’s breakthrough in battery technology, and SK hynix’s next-generation memory solutions, the week was packed with announcements that could shape the future of global tech markets.

Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group, and SK hynix each took the stage with a clear message: AI is no longer a distant promise but an integral part of their strategies for growth, customer engagement, and industrial leadership. The timing was auspicious, with all eyes on Korean firms as SK hynix and Samsung Electronics also reported record-breaking financial performances, underscoring the momentum behind their innovations.

Samsung Electronics: AI as an Everyday Companion

On January 4, 2026, Samsung Electronics kicked off its CES presence with "The First Look" press conference, unveiling its vision under the banner "Your Companion to AI Living." According to Yonhap News, Tae-moon Roh, President and Head of Samsung’s DX Division, told an audience of 1,500 media and partners, "We will apply AI across all Samsung product lines and services to enable customers to enjoy truly meaningful AI experiences." He added, "We will lead the democratization of AI experiences."

The company laid out three pillars for its AI vision: Entertainment Companion, Home Companion, and Care Companion. Among the headline announcements was the world’s first 130-inch Micro RGB TV, as well as integration of HDR10+ Advanced and Eclipsa Audio—co-developed with Google—into the 2026 TV lineup. Samsung also spotlighted its SmartThings platform, now boasting 430 million users and over 4,700 connected device types. The 2026 Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator, notably, will be the first home appliance to feature AI powered by Google’s Gemini model. In healthcare, Samsung revealed new brain health technology capable of detecting cognitive decline via mobile and wearable devices—a first for the company.

LG Electronics: AI That Acts, Not Just Reacts

LG Electronics doubled down on its ambition to redefine daily life through "AI that acts." At CES, the company’s exhibition space was designed to mimic real homes, vehicles, and workspaces, demonstrating how AI can autonomously assess situations and take action. The concept of the "Zero Labor Home" took center stage, with AI managing chores and repetitive tasks, freeing up users’ time and energy.

LG’s AI learns users’ habits, arrival times, and device usage, then proactively adjusts lighting, appliances, and air quality—often before a user even thinks to ask. Home robots, integrated with AI-powered appliances, showcased their ability to move objects or assist with chores. In vehicles, LG introduced AI solutions that monitor driver status, adjusting safety and convenience features accordingly. Premium appliances now feature enhanced conversational AI and personalized settings, pushing the envelope of what “Affectionate Intelligence” can mean in practice.

Hyundai Motor Group: Robotics Moving from Lab to Life

Hyundai Motor Group made waves with its focus on AI robotics. Under the theme "Partnering Human Progress: AI Robotics, From Lab to Life," the company announced plans to deploy Boston Dynamics’ humanoid robot, Atlas, to manufacturing sites worldwide by 2030. Collaboration with Google DeepMind will see "Gemini Robotics" technology integrated into Atlas, expanding its capabilities.

The company is building the Robot Metaplant Application Center (RMAC) this year as a training hub for robots, with Atlas set to begin parts sorting at Hyundai’s Metaplant America in 2028 and more complex assembly tasks by 2030. Hyundai is also pioneering the Software Defined Factory (SDF), a flexible, data-driven approach to manufacturing, and introducing a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) subscription model to lower the barrier to entry for industrial robotics. Live demonstrations at CES featured robots like Atlas, Spot, and MobED, signaling Hyundai’s intent to move robots out of the lab and into everyday work environments. "What matters more than the technology itself is what humanity can achieve through it," a Hyundai official emphasized, highlighting the company’s commitment to human-robot collaboration.

SK hynix: Next-Generation AI Memory Solutions

SK hynix showcased its leadership in AI memory with the first public unveiling of the HBM4 16-Hi 48GB, a next-generation high-bandwidth memory product, at its CES 2026 customer exhibition. This follows the industry-leading HBM4 12-Hi 36GB, which set a high bar with speeds of 11.7Gbps. The company also displayed the HBM3E 12-Hi 36GB, expected to dominate the HBM market this year, alongside the latest AI server GPU modules from global partners.

Other highlights included the SOCAMM2 low-power memory module for AI servers, LPDDR6 optimized for on-device AI, and a 321-layer eSSD (2Tb QLC NAND) for AI data centers. The AI System Demo Zone allowed visitors to see future technologies like custom HBM (cHBM), the AiMX AI accelerator card, and CuD, which enables in-memory computation. Joo-sun Kim, President and CMO of SK hynix AI Infra, said, "As AI-driven innovation continues to accelerate, our customers’ technical demands are also evolving rapidly," adding, "We will meet customer demands with differentiated memory solutions and create new value through close collaboration with customers for the advancement of the AI ecosystem."

SK On and Seoul National University: Battery Breakthrough Published in Nature Energy

Amid the CES buzz, SK On and Seoul National University announced a significant advance in battery technology. On January 8, 2026, they revealed the development of a high-density, ultra-high-nickel single-crystal cathode composed of large particles, a feat published in the prestigious journal Nature Energy. The new cathode material contains nickel content of 94% or higher and features particles about 10 micrometers in size—twice the industry norm. This innovation addresses the long-standing challenge of growing large, uniform single-crystal particles while maintaining structural stability, particularly for high-nickel cathodes.

According to The Asia Business Daily, the team first created sodium-based single crystals, then replaced sodium with lithium via ion exchange, preserving structural integrity. The result: a cathode with 25 times lower gas generation than polycrystalline counterparts and energy density reaching 77% of the theoretical crystal density. Park Kisu, Head of SK On’s Future Technology Institute, stated, "This research achievement clearly demonstrates the technological competitiveness of SK On in the field of battery materials. We will continue to pursue innovative research and development in collaboration with academia and strengthen our technological leadership going forward."

Stock Market Momentum: SK hynix and Samsung Electronics Surge

As these innovations unfolded, the financial markets responded enthusiastically. On January 8, 2026, SK hynix stock hit a new all-time high, trading at 785,000 won at 10:20 a.m.—a 5.8% jump from the previous day and marking 11 consecutive days of gains since late December. Korea Investment & Securities raised SK hynix’s target price to 960,000 won, citing continued increases in DRAM and NAND average unit prices. Samsung Electronics also saw its stock rise to 142,800 won, buoyed by a tentative consolidated operating profit of 20 trillion won for Q4 2025—a 208.2% year-on-year increase, smashing previous records and analyst expectations.

These developments underscore a pivotal moment for Korea’s tech sector, as leading firms combine AI, advanced materials, and robust financial performance to set the pace for global innovation. The world will be watching closely to see how these breakthroughs translate into everyday products and services in the months and years ahead.