LG Electronics sharpens focus on AI, robotics under CEO William Cho

LG Electronics CEO William Cho delivers a special lecture at Seoul National University on April 24. Courtesy of LG Electronics

SEOUL, July 03 (AJP) - LG Electronics is undergoing one of the most ambitious transformations in its corporate history, shifting its focus away from traditional consumer hardware toward emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and business-to-business solutions.

Now in his fourth year at the helm, CEO William Cho — also known by his Korean name, Cho Joo-wan — is steering LG with a long-term vision centered on “structural competitiveness,” rather than chasing the cyclical ups and downs of consumer electronics.

The pivot is already reshaping the company’s operations, financial profile, and identity in the global tech landscape.

Since Cho’s appointment in 2021, LG has significantly expanded its research and development operations. As of 2024, the company employed more than 21,600 full-time R&D professionals — a 9.5 percent increase from 2021. The share of R&D staff among LG’s regular workforce rose from 27.2 percent to 29.4 percent during the same period.

Backed by rising investment, LG’s R&D spending surged 32.1 percent over three years, reaching 4.76 trillion won (approximately $3.45 billion) in 2024. The company allocated more than 1.1 trillion won to R&D in the first quarter of 2025 alone.

LG operates a two-tier innovation model: business-unit laboratories focus on product-level improvements, while the CTO division oversees long-term research in fundamental technologies. This global R&D network includes facilities across South Korea, as well as in the United States, Europe, Japan, India, and China.

To fuel its AI ambitions, LG is aggressively recruiting top-tier talent, hosting tech conferences across North America to showcase its innovation roadmap and attract skilled engineers and researchers.

At the heart of Cho’s strategy is a decisive pivot beyond hardware.

The company is embedding AI and robotics into its core offerings, and expanding into autonomous service robots for logistics and food delivery. In his keynote at CES 2025, Cho teased developments in humanoid household robots, positioning LG at the forefront of domestic robotics.

The company is also deepening ties with global tech giants. In March, Cho met with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to discuss expanding cooperation in AI agents and advanced data center cooling systems, an area where LG’s expertise in ventilation and air conditioning plays a key role.

LG Electronics' heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Courtesy of LG Electronics

Lim Jaeho Reporter ajupresswogh@ajunews.com

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