Hyundai Brings Its Global Leaders Forum to CES: A Field-Tested Strategy for AI-First Execution
Hyundai Motor Group moved its annual Global Leaders Forum to Las Vegas, running it on-site during CES 2026. More than 150 leaders-affiliate heads, regional chiefs, and vice chairmen-were called in to meet customers, partners, and competitors where new tech is actually being shown and discussed.
It's the first time the GLF has been held at CES. The intent is clear: compress the gap between trend-watching and decision-making. See AI up close, talk to the people building it, and make calls while the insights are still fresh.
Hyundai also put a stake in the ground by unveiling the humanoid Atlas, built with its U.S. subsidiary Boston Dynamics, on January 5. The group's internal debates are expected to center on "physical AI" and how it links to Hyundai's bets on purpose-built vehicles (PBV), hydrogen, and advanced air mobility (AAM).
Chairman Chung Eui-sun toured the floor and visited the booths of Doosan Group, Qualcomm, LG Electronics, and Samsung Electronics, speaking directly with their executives. With leaders already gathered at CES, the company reduces the drag of convening later and increases the surface area for useful collisions now.
Why this move matters for strategy
- On-site sense-making: Seeing AI, robotics, and systems integration in person leads to better questions and faster judgment calls than reading decks back home.
- Shorter decision cycles: Bringing the GLF to CES lets Hyundai form, test, and commit to priorities in days, not quarters.
- Physical AI as a thesis: Robots, PBVs, and AAM require AI that touches the real world. That shifts investment toward sensors, actuators, safety, and software-defined vehicles.
- Ecosystem leverage: Direct time with chipmakers, electronics giants, and industrial peers speeds partnership talks and technical due diligence.
- Cultural signal: Calling even public affairs staff on-site says "learn fast, act fast" is now the default.
Playbook you can adapt
- Host your annual strategy summit at a major industry event. Block time for floor walks, closed-door partner sessions, and rapid decision workshops.
- Set "field KPIs" for leaders: number of target partners met, prototypes seen, and follow-ups secured-logged within 48 hours.
- Create a physical AI working group spanning robotics, vehicle platforms, safety, and software. Fund 2-3 pilot integrations with clear success criteria.
- Run partner sprints: shortlist chip, sensor, and platform partners; align on co-development milestones and joint PR only after technical gates are met.
- Talent first: recruit controls, embedded AI, and systems safety engineers; second priority is procurement pros who can handle AI-era supply risk.
- Governance for speed: a standing committee that can greenlight sub-$10M pilots in under two weeks, with a 90-day kill-or-scale rule.
What to watch from Hyundai next
- How Atlas tech migrates into factories, logistics, or PBVs-and how they price ROI (uptime, safety, cycle time).
- PBV commercialization timelines, including software-defined features and fleet management.
- Hydrogen and AAM investment cadence-where capital flows, and which partners earn system-level roles.
- Deeper links with chip and electronics partners for compute, connectivity, and sensors.
If you want a quick pulse on the tech Hyundai is watching, scan the official CES site and this overview of the Atlas platform:
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