Hyundai claims humanoid robot plan is not part of talks with striking workers
Hyundai Motor Company’s plan to put humanoid robots to work by 2028 is not part of current negotiations with striking South Korean autoworkers, according to the company. The automaker is disputing news reports that partial labor strikes by the Hyundai Motor union at the world’s largest automotive plant in South Korea were spurred by concerns about the company's planned deployment of humanoid robots in the United States starting in 2028. A company statement shared with Ars describes the union’s d
Hyundai says its planned deployment of humanoid robots at a US factory starting in 2028 is not a topic being negotiated in current labor talks with striking South Korean workers. The union had previously warned that any robot deployment must be negotiated and demanded job protections in the era of robots and AI, though the company characterizes current strike demands as focused on compensation issues like wages and bonuses. This dispute reflects broader labor tensions in South Korea following a new labor law that expanded worker rights and made large-scale automation subject to collective bargaining, with similar concerns also emerging from US autoworker unions.
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