LG CNS forms strategic partnership with robotics startup Skild AI

LG CNS Co., the information technology service arm of LG Group, said on Tuesday it has formed a strategic partnership with Skild AI to develop AI-driven humanoid robots, marking the first such deal by a South Korean company with the US robotics startup. 

As part of the partnership, it has invested in the company through LG Technology Ventures, its Silicon Valley-based venture capital arm. It said the investment is aimed at securing access to Skild AI’s core technology -- the Robot Foundation Model -- but did not disclose the size of the investment.

The Robot Foundation Model is a general-purpose AI system trained on large volumes of behavioral data, as well as language, image and video inputs from sensors, enabling robots to operate efficiently across diverse environments and tasks.

Meanwhile, Samsung has agreed to invest $10 million in Skild AI, participating in the robotics startup’s Series B funding round, alongside SoftBank and Nvidia Corp, according to a Bloomberg report.

Write to Yeonhee Kim at yhkim@hankyung.com