Hyundai’s humanoid bet exposes deeper conflict between labor and automation
Machines rarely announce themselves as labor disputes. Atlas did.
Hyundai Motor unveiled its humanoid robot at CES 2026 in Las Vegas on Jan. 6, a Boston Dynamics-built humanoid positioned as the company’s flagship entry into “physical AI.”
Investors saw a breakthrough, but the rank and file saw a threat. By Jan. 22, the automaker’s Korean union had issued a blunt ultimatum: No robot enters the production line without a labor-management agreement.
The declaration was blunt, preemptive and revealing.
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