Hyundai labor union warns humanoids could trigger major job losses

Hyundai Motors’ Korean labor union has strongly opposed the company’s plan to introduce Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robots into its factories, citing significant job security concerns. The union declared that no robots would be allowed on the factory floor without a formal labor-management agreement, warning that robot deployment would cause a major employment shock. Hyundai aims to produce 30,000 humanoid robots annually by 2028, initially deploying them at its U.S. plant in Georgia for simple tasks, with plans to expand their use across all production sites by 2030 for more complex operations. The union accused Hyundai of using robot adoption as a pretext to reduce its workforce and maximize profits, highlighting that the robots’ maintenance costs are substantially lower than human labor expenses. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, Hyundai showcased the Atlas robot as a key component of its Physical AI initiative, emphasizing that human involvement would continue alongside robot deployment. The company is transitioning from hardware-centric robotics to AI-driven systems that