Executive Chair Euisun Chung speaking during a pre-recorded New Year’s roundtable with senior executives at the group’s headquarters in Yangjae, southern Seoul. (Image provided by Hyundai Motor Group)
SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung said artificial intelligence will reshape industrial competition and open new growth avenues for the company, while warning that success will depend on quicker decision-making and clearer internal communication as global risks intensify.
In a prerecorded New Year’s roundtable with senior executives released Monday, Mr. Chung said Hyundai’s access to vast troves of data generated by physical assets—including vehicles, robotics systems and manufacturing operations—gives the group a structural advantage in applying AI technologies.
“This is an area where traditional big-tech companies face limits,” Mr. Chung said, arguing that Hyundai’s combination of data, capital and production capabilities positions it well in the AI-driven transformation of industry.
The comments come as automakers confront slowing global growth, fragmented supply chains and rising geopolitical tensions, all of which Mr. Chung said are likely to turn from long-anticipated risks into concrete challenges this year.
This photo, provided by Hyundai Motor Group, shows the group’s headquarters in southern Seoul. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
To navigate the uncertainty, he called for sharper situational awareness and faster, more disciplined decision-making, supported by timely and candid communication across the organization. Internal reports, he said, should move beyond raw data to include analysis and conclusions, and be shared promptly with relevant decision-makers.
Mr. Chung also emphasized the need for deeper organizational change as competition intensifies, particularly as the industry shifts toward software-defined vehicles, robotics and other forms of future mobility shaped by AI.
The photo shows Boston Dynamics’ four-legged walking robot “Spot” roaming freely inside the Hyundai Motor Group Pavilion at the Air Dome of Gyeongju Expo Grand Park. (Photo provided by Hyundai Motor and Kia.)
He said collaboration with external partners across the AI ecosystem will be critical to expanding Hyundai’s business footprint and accelerating innovation.
Hyundai Motor Group has previously announced plans to invest 125.2 trillion won, about $86.5 billion, through 2030, targeting areas including electrification, autonomous driving, robotics and advanced manufacturing.
That investment, Mr. Chung said, is aimed not only at expanding scale but at achieving “qualitative growth” as the company adapts to structural changes in the global auto industry.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
