AI NewsWaveNaver CEO Choi Soo-yeon Discusses Industrial AI Cooperation With Siemens Chief
Key points
- Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon holds industrial AI talk with Siemens chief
- AI use must spread to small businesses for a true industrial transformation
- Possible cooperation on robot AI and digital twins discussed
Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon discussed the direction of industrial AI with Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens. Naver announced it on Nov. 2. Digital Daily, VentureSquare, AI Newspaper (인공지능신문), Digital Today, Chosun Biz, iNews24 and EBN reported the news.
Digital Today, Chosun Biz and EBN reported that the conversation took place on Oct. 31 at the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2026), held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. Chosun Biz explained that the talk centered on the spread of AI into physical industrial sites such as manufacturing, energy and mobility, and AI Newspaper also wrote that the remarks came as AI use widens into physical industrial sites such as manufacturing, energy and mobility.
Choi's key message is that the base for using AI must widen to small businesses and partner companies. VentureSquare reported that Choi said the transformation is only real when it spreads to small businesses, while Digital Today and EBN wrote that she stressed the need for a base that lets not only large companies but also small businesses and partners use AI easily. iNews24 quoted Choi as using the phrase "when even small companies can easily use AI."
Outlets worded the possibility of cooperation differently. Digital Daily reported that Naver and Siemens discussed the possibility of applying robot AI and digital twin technology at industrial sites. According to the same report, the two companies checked actual technology operation cases at Naver's second headquarters, 1784, and looked at points of contact with industrial solutions. AI Newspaper wrote in its headline that they are exploring physical AI cooperation. Chosun Biz, by contrast, described the talk as a discussion on industrial AI, and the summary contains nothing about a concrete cooperation agreement.
Recent developments Naver disclosed on the 30th that the payment date for its third-party allotment rights offering to Nvidia has been set for Nov. 6. According to AI Times, the investment is worth $1 billion (about 1.34 trillion won) and the new shares are scheduled to be listed on Nov. 27. The Elec reported that Nvidia will become Naver's third-largest shareholder, overtaking board chairman Lee Hae-jin, and Digital Daily wrote that most of the funds raised will go to the AI factory business from next year onward. The investment amount was given differently by outlet: about 1.3 trillion won (IT Chosun), 1.34 trillion won (AI Times) and 1.4 trillion won (iNews24 headline).
Glossary A digital twin is a technology that replicates real equipment or spaces in a virtual space and runs simulations. Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence applied to machines that move in real physical spaces, such as robots.