Doosan Robotics Doubles Down on AI Despite Mounting Losses
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Despite facing significant financial headwinds, Doosan Robotics is aggressively expanding its research and development (R&D) investment to transform into an AI-based intelligent robot company. The company plans to leverage advancements in physical AI and strategic partnerships, including a growing collaboration with NVIDIA, to reshape its business model and drive future growth.
According to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service on November 16th, Doosan Robotics reported sales of 10.2 billion won and an operating loss of 15.3 billion won in the third quarter of 2024. While sales experienced a modest 1.3% increase year-over-year, the company’s deficit widened by 59% compared to the same period last year. The cumulative operating loss for the first three quarters of 2024 reached 43.1 billion won, surpassing the full-year operating loss of 42.1 billion won recorded in 2023.
Several factors contributed to the financial strain. A slowdown in robot investment within the manufacturing sector, fueled by tariff uncertainty from the United States, played a significant role. Additionally, one-time expenses associated with the acquisition of American robot solution provider One Exia and increased staffing costs impacted profitability. In July 2024, Doosan Robotics invested 35.6 billion won to secure an 89.6% stake in One Exia, a company specializing in robotic system integration (SI) and advanced automation solutions. One Exia, which has demonstrated an average annual growth rate of around 20% over the past two years after achieving profitability in 2023, offers comprehensive automation services, including design, manufacturing, and installation.
Strategic Shift to AI-Driven Robotics
Doosan Robotics intends to maximize synergy by integrating its existing robot hardware expertise with One Exia’s software capabilities. “As there is a lot of data accumulated in the actual field, collaboration to create artificial intelligence optimized for the robot industry is possible by using it for AI development,” a senior official stated. The long-term vision involves acquiring full ownership of One Exia and exploring further mergers and acquisitions (M&As) to accelerate the transition.
This strategic pivot towards AI is further underscored by recent leadership appointments. In February 2024, Kim Min-pyo, formerly CEO of Toss, was appointed CEO with a mandate to strengthen the company’s AI business. He currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), overseeing new business ventures and R&D initiatives. Further bolstering the AI team, Oh Chang-hoon, with experience at Naver, Toss, and Toss Securities, joined the company in September 2024 as an executive responsible for AI and software development.
Investing in Innovation and Infrastructure
To facilitate increased research efficiency and collaboration, Doosan Robotics recently opened its state-of-the-art Innovation Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. This centralized facility consolidates R&D personnel previously dispersed across locations in Bundang and Suwon. The company’s commitment to R&D is reflected in its investment ratio, which reached 27% of sales in the third quarter of 2024. Cumulative R&D investment over the past three years totals approximately 25.9 billion won, representing roughly 18% of total sales during that period.
The company is also prioritizing physical AI – the integration of AI into physical devices like robots and autonomous vehicles – and has initiated strategic cooperation with NVIDIA. This collaboration aims to develop a customized foundation model (FM) tailored to Doosan’s specific applications, leveraging NVIDIA’s technology and Doosan’s extensive data from its construction equipment, robots, and power generation systems.
Showcasing AI at CES 2026
Doosan Robotics plans to publicly demonstrate its advancements in physical AI at CES 2026, scheduled for January 6, 2026. The company’s AI-based robot solution, ‘Scan & Go’, has already garnered recognition, winning both the Best Innovation Award in the AI category and the Innovation Award in the robotics category at the CES 2026 Innovation Awards announced on November 5th. Doosan Robotics anticipates launching a range of deployable AI robot solutions in the market next year.
The company’s ambitious transformation, despite current financial challenges, signals a firm belief in the future of AI-powered robotics and its potential to redefine the industry. .
