LG and Nvidia sign deal on humanoid robots, AI factories

LG Corp and Nvidia ↘ 1.47% signed a memorandum of understanding on August 13 at Nvidia's headquarters in Santa Clara, California, formalizing plans to collaborate on humanoid robotics, AI factory infrastructure, and autonomous vehicle technology. LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attended the signing ceremony.engineering+1

The agreement marks a shift from strategic planning to execution, coming two months after Huang visited Koo at LG's headquarters in Seoul on June 8.chosun

Humanoid Robot Planned for Early 2027

LG is developing a bipedal humanoid robot powered by Nvidia's Isaac GR00T foundation model and Jetson Thor computing platform, with a public unveiling targeted for the first quarter of 2027. The robot will incorporate components from across LG's business units — actuators from LG Electronics, sensors from LG Innotek, and batteries from LG Energy Solution.interestingengineering+1

Before the humanoid debut, LG plans to deploy its wheel-based CLOiD robots on a washing machine production line at its Tennessee factory by the end of 2026 to validate AI-powered robotics in a real manufacturing environment.hothardware+1

"The defining opportunity of physical AI is to give every machine the ability to understand the real world, reason and act safely alongside people — reshaping everyday life from the home and factory floor to the road," Huang said.interestingengineering+1

80-Megawatt AI Factory and Vehicle Platform

LG plans to build an AI factory reference site using Nvidia's Vera Rubin computing platform in the first half of 2027, followed by an 80-megawatt facility in Cheonan, South Korea, by the first half of 2028. The larger facility will support training of physical AI systems and robot foundation models.theaiinsider+1

The partnership also extends into mobility, with LG developing a vehicle computing platform based on Nvidia DRIVE Hyperion that combines autonomous driving capabilities with LG's infotainment software for global automakers.engineering+1

Racing Against Competitors

The Chosun Ilbo reported that analysts attribute the rapid timeline to LG's accumulated robotics capabilities, including its 2018 acquisition of industrial robot maker Robostar and last year's integration of U.S. commercial robot company Bear Robotics. The partnership arrives as competitors including Tesla and China's Unitree advance their own humanoid programs.chosun

"As our discussions have moved fast, our tasks and goals in AI factory and physical AI have become clear," Koo said. "We will accelerate the spread of AI by building industry-leading references."theaiinsider+1