Fear of humanoid robots spurs human workers to strike at Hyundai auto factory

https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/07/fear-of-humanoid-robots-spurs-human-workers-to-strike-at-hyundai-auto-factory/

by pjmlp • 5 days ago

34 11 5 days ago

Unfortunately for workers, these type of actions can only term delay their replacement only by a few years, if that. The only long term solution here is to go bigger and reconceptualize the entire economic system, a system that takes into account the new realities that AI has created, and provides justice to all.

AngryData• 5 days ago

Assuming you could only delay it a few years, that's still a few years more than many other people would have.

I myself doubt AI is quite as good in the real world robotics as it is in coding though, and collective worker action could instead give them a few decades or until broader economic changes allows them to leave that job without being hurt financially.

abdullahkhalids3• 5 days ago

Robotics and textual AI have very different risk profiles. Textual AI can just be provided to users even if they are completely crap because some users will get some usage out of them.

Robots can only be released once they are good enough to actually do anything, and have passed safety certification. So, not seeing robotic products out there is completely natural. But they are not far behind LLMs, and they will very suddenly take over the the factory world as soon as they cross these performance and safety thresholds.

triceratops• 5 days ago

It's funny they had to specify "human workers". Who else would strike?

amanaplanacanal• 5 days ago

I think the editor just liked the juxtaposition of "humanoid robots" and "human workers".

danhite• 5 days ago

I think the editor just liked the juxtaposition of "humanoid robots" and "human workers".

or perhaps we are far enough along this timeline that the AI editor preferred the distinction for the story title?

amingilani• 5 days ago

I literally just finished playing Detroit: Become Human and now this is a real world headline.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit:_Become_Human

Dylan168072• 5 days ago

These robots only need to move in a small and smooth-floored area, so what's a situation where an atlas robot is better than 1-3 robot arms on a pedestal/gantry/wheeled base?

abdullahkhalids3• 5 days ago

I would bet the legged robots are advertisements, and when a factory comes knocking they are provided the option of buying cheaper robot arms that are stationary or on wheels.

Dylan168072• 5 days ago

Which would mean the strike is over nothing? I assume they already have lots of robots.

Though $130k is already so cheap that you'd be making decisions on performance much more than upfront cost.

petre• 5 days ago

No wonder South Koreans aren't having kids anymore.

Fear of humanoid robots spurs human workers to strike at Hyundai auto factory

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