Samsung SDS Leads Enterprise AI Transformation(AX) Beyond AI Adoption, Unveiling Its Multi-Dimensional AI Full-Stack Strategy at Real Summit 2026
□ Presenting a roadmap for successful AX that delivers business results
- June-hee Lee, President and CEO of Samsung SDS, emphasizes, “AI changes tasks, but AX changes the business.”
- Unveiled seven core elements for a successful AX
□ Strengthening the execution system of 'multi-dimensional AI full-stack' to support clients throughout their AX journey
- Extending AX capabilities proven through the ‘Client Zero’ strategy
- Training approximately 200 embedded Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) by year-end to rapidly deliver innovation
- Combining AI infrastructure, platforms and solutions with industry expertise and end-to-end capabilities to present a multi-dimensional AI full-stack strategy
□ Expanding cooperation with global frontier AI companies to strengthen the AI ecosystem
- First Korean company to join OpenAI’s ‘Daybreak’ program, driving cyber-defense innovation with security-specialized models
- First in Korea to jointly explore new businesses through a strategic partnership with Anthropic
□ Extending AX beyond the digital domain into 'physical AI' driving its Robotics Transformation (RX) business in earnest
- Driving autonomous manufacturing, beyond automated manufacturing, by launching a robotic orchestration platform in 2027
- Extending AX into the physical domain, building on experience with approximately 430 manufacturing-automation clients
On September 8th, Samsung SDS held Real Summit 2026, an enterprise AX conference, at the COEX Convention Center in Seoul. The company presented specific execution strategies and a roadmap for narrowing the gap between AI adoption and real-world business results based on its multi-dimensional AI full-stack strategy.
Approximately 15,000 industry stakeholders attended Real Summit 2026 (approximately 8,000 on-site with the rest online), demonstrating strong interest in the event.
□ Beyond Operational Efficiency to Business Redesign: Seven Core AX Elements for Real-World Results
June-hee Lee, President and CEO of Samsung SDS, said during his keynote speech, “AI Transformation (AX) is a fundamental shift going beyond adopting AI to merely save time and money. AX is about completely redesigning the business and and the way work is done from scratch.”
He emphasized, “Companies that have achieved AX anticipate clients’ needs before they ask and respond to the market in real time, rather than analyzing the market and responding in turn. AI changes tasks, but AX changes the business.”
Citing data from the global market research firm McKinsey & Company, CEO Lee stated, "While 88% of companies have adopted AI in at least one business function, only 6% say AI is making a meaningful contribution to their profits. There is still a gap between AI adoption and business results."
He went on to suggest seven key elements for successful AX: Process Re-Design (redesigning processes in consideration of how AI and people work together); AI-Ready Data (structuring data into a format that can be utilized by AI); Agent Ops (an efficient operating framework for multiple AI agents); AI Governance (policy setting and controlling AI behavior); AI Security; AI Organization (building an AI-friendly organization); and People & Culture (changing corporate culture).
□ Strengthening AX Execution at Client Sites Through ‘Client Zero’ and ‘FDE’
Samsung SDS is pursuing a 'Client Zero' strategy, whereby Samsung SDS applies these core AX elements to its own internal operations first to verify business outcomes. The company continuously evaluates AX performance in real-world environments across its seven internal mega-processes: development, procurement, quality, management support, project delivery, marketing, and sales. The know-how accumulated through this process is then applied to client operations.
Additionally, Samsung SDS will significantly strengthen its embedded Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) capabilities to quickly address issues and drive results directly at client sites. Through close collaboration with OpenAI, Anthropic, Accenture, and other partners, Samsung SDS plans to expand its team of AX-specialized FDEs to around 200 by the end of the year. These professionals will work with clients on-site to solve business challenges and rapidly deliver AX results.
□ Combining AI Infrastructure, Platforms and Solutions with Industry Expertise and End-To-End Capabilities to Present a Multi-Dimensional AI Full-Stack Strategy
At this year’s Real Summit, Samsung SDS unveiled its strategy to provide optimized AX solutions tailored to each client through its ‘multi-dimensional AI full-stack.’
Leveraging AI infrastructure, AI platforms and AI solutions, Samsung SDS’s multi-dimensional AI full-stack combines end-to-end capabilities spanning consulting, development, implementation and operations with industry expertise accumulated across a wide range of sectors.
With this approach, Samsung SDS aims to go beyond providing AI technologies. The company will diagnose clients’ business challenges, apply the optimal technologies and solutions based on each client’s needs and circumstances to create tangible AX results.
Lee explained, “A true AI full-stack should provide not only consulting to support AX execution, but also professional capabilities across development, implementation and operations. This is only possible with an accurate understanding of the client’s business.”
□ Expanding Collaboration with Global Frontier AI Companies, Including OpenAI and Anthropic
Samsung SDS is expanding its collaboration with global frontier AI companies across a broad range of areas. It is currently working with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Cloud, NVIDIA and Accenture to create a global AI ecosystem spanning AI models, platforms, infrastructure, solutions and security.
Notably, Samsung SDS announced that it signed a strategic partnership with Anthropic in San Francisco back in July, becoming the first Korean company to establish such a partnership with Anthropic in support of AX at Korean companies. The two companies will now work in earnest to jointly identify new AX business opportunities by combining their technological capabilities and business know-how.
Following its partnership with OpenAI as the first Korean company to do so, Samsung SDS has provided consulting to several clients on ChatGPT Enterprise adoption, and has announced that it will be the first Korean company to become a pilot partner in OpenAI’s Daybreak Partner Program.
As a Daybreak pilot partner, Samsung SDS will be among the first to leverage OpenAI’s next-generation frontier models and provide comprehensive AI security services, ranging from automated detection and validation of security vulnerabilities at client sites to patching. Samsung SDS’s specialized FDEs and security experts will implement these services directly at client sites.
At the event, Kyoung-hoon Harrison Kim, General Manager at OpenAI Korea; and Ki-young Choi, Representative Director of Anthropic Korea, took to the stage to share the direction of their respective partnership and their strategies for creating collaboration synergies, drawing significant attention.
In a video message, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, emphasized the significance of the partnership, calling Samsung SDS “a top-tier global partner with a deep understanding of how businesses actually operate, and has the optimal capabilities to successfully introduce new technologies.”
Altman said, “AI agents, which are already being deployed in businesses, are having tangible and positive impacts on productivity, and this transformation will further accelerate. We will work with Samsung SDS to shape the future enabling Korean companies to lead the next chapter of global AI with their world-class technological talent, infrastructure, strong government support and dynamic ecosystem.”
□ Extending AX Beyond the Digital Domain into 'Physical AI,' Driving Its RX Business in Earnest
At the event, Samsung SDS officially announced its entry into the Robotics Transformation (RX) business and unveiled a roadmap to significantly expand the scope of AX from the digital realm to physical manufacturing.
Over the past 25 years, Samsung SDS has built experience and capabilities in manufacturing by implementing manufacturing execution systems (MESs) as well as equipment and logistics automation for approximately 430 clients ranging from Korea’s key industries -- semiconductors, secondary batteries and biotechnology-- to other sectors like automotive, materials, components, and food and beverage.
Based on such data and manufacturing experience, Samsung SDS is developing technologies that enable efficient robot-driven manufacturing automation and end-to-end production operations.
Samsung SDS is also validating the use of robotic hardware and physical AI to automate manual tasks at actual manufacturing sites. Starting in 2027, the company plans to unveil a “robot orchestration platform” that connects and operates production equipment and robots.
Additionally, Samsung SDS is expanding its collaboration with global partners in the physical AI sector to automate a wide range of manual tasks at manufacturing sites through a strategic partnership with Walden Robotics, a global humanoid robotics company. Russ Tedrake, CEO of Walden Robotics, said, “Physical AI has the potential to transform manufacturing. However, creating measurable results by applying it to actual production sites requires capabilities to deploy physical AI at scale and a deep understanding of business. We are very pleased to partner with Samsung SDS, which owns the best capabilities in this area.”
□ GS Caltex, Dongwon Group, and Vessl AI Share Industry-Specific AX Success Stories
The event featured vivid stories from companies that have achieved AX results by working with Samsung SDS.
GS Caltex is working with Samsung SDS to transform its business processes, data, and systems for the AI era. Samsung SDS is supporting GS Caltex’s next-generation ERP implementation by utilizing AI agents to analyze the client’s end-to-end processes and to lay the groundwork for applying AI agents to actual business operations.
Dongwon Group is changing the way it communicates and works globally by leveraging Samsung SDS’s AI-powered collaboration solution Brity Works. Real-time translation of emails, messenger and video conferencing, and AI-generated meeting minutes are making communication with overseas offices more convenient. Employees can also use AI on mobile devices to easily check work schedules and internal company information.
During the event, Samsung SDS also unveiled Cowork, Brity Works’s new AI feature. Going beyond simply searching for or recommending information, Cowork serves as an AI colleague. Once users assign a goal, Cowork plans the necessary tasks on its own, conducts research, prepares reports, sends emails, and adds events to the calendar, carrying out the entire workflow from start to finish.
Notably, Cowork is designed to be optimized for corporate business environments. It can understand complex context -- including emails, conversations and schedules -- and perform tasks by connecting with enterprise business systems. It also provides security governance features that enable companies to use AI without concern for data leakage and other security risks, while enabling management and control over AI use.
Vessl AI unveiled its successful infrastructure innovation case where GPU utilization increased dramatically from approximately 35% on its existing infrastructure to around 90% with the adoption of the Samsung Cloud Platform (SCP).
To fully support enterprise AI adoption, Samsung SDS plans to build a stable 'AI highway' connecting the entire nation. In addition to the Dongtan Data Center -- Korea's first AI-dedicated data center -- the company is accelerating the build-out of the upcoming 'National AI Computing Center' and the 'Gumi AI Data Center.'
After the keynote speech, 59 breakout sessions were held across 10 tracks, including AX strategy, AX execution, manufacturing, retail & services, logistics, public, national defense, and finance. Global AI and technology companies, including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Cloud, Dell Technologies and Walden Robotics, also joined the event to share their latest technologies and collaboration cases.
□ Continuously Support Clients’ AX Journey Through Multi-Dimensional AI Full-Stack and a Global Ecosystem
At Real Summit 2026, Samsung SDS presented directions and strategies for Korean companies to move beyond mere AI adoption to achieve tangible business results.
Samsung SDS plans to expand its collaboration with global AI partners. At the same time, the company will strengthen its ability to execute AX at client sites by implementing a Client Zero strategy (where AI is first applied and validated in internal operations) and by expanding its pool of AX professionals.
Going forward, Samsung SDS will share the latest AI technological trends and success cases of its clients and partners through the Real Summit. The company will continue to support the successful AX journey of Korean companies by leveraging its AI full-stack and industry expertise.
Lee said, “Through Real Summit 2026, we shared solutions that enable Korean companies to create real-world business results moving beyond the initial AI adoption. Based on our unparalleled AI full-stack technology and top-class global AI ecosystem, we will stand alongside our clients as a trusted partner throughout their successful AX journeys.”
