198 entries received, including 58 in manufacturing and 140 in operations

15 outstanding cases presented and demonstrated on site

Hyundai Steel employees pose for a group photo at the 2026 AX Performance Sharing Event. [Hyundai Steel]
Hyundai Steel employees pose for a group photo at the 2026 AX Performance Sharing Event. [Hyundai Steel]

Hyundai Steel said Wednesday it recently held its "2026 AX Performance Sharing Event" at the research center of its Dangjin steelworks.

The event was organized to share AI transformation results achieved by employees throughout the year and to identify and spread best practices. A call for submissions launched in August drew 198 entries in total — 58 from the manufacturing sector and 140 from general operations.

Hyundai Steel selected 48 of those entries for exhibition, while 15 outstanding cases were presented and demonstrated on site. Of the presented projects, five were chosen as top-performing entries following evaluation by judges and employees in attendance, and were formally recognized with awards.

In the manufacturing AX category, two projects took top honors: the development of a raw-material logistics optimization guidance tool, and the development of a scrap raw-material blending optimization guidance system. Both were recognized for leveraging AI to improve logistics operations and raw-material blending efficiency, contributing to higher productivity.

In the operations AX category, the three winning projects were the construction of an AI-based product sales strategy and decision-support system, the automation of agent-based materials procurement and coil transfer operations, and the development and expansion of an AI analysis framework for appropriate purchase pricing. The projects were recognized for supporting data-driven decision-making and improving operational efficiency.

Starting this year, Hyundai Steel has also been running a platform that allows all employees to register AX cases, participate in evaluations and exchange opinions. The company also accepted innovative ideas from manufacturing and operational sites as part of this year's submissions, and plans to work with its dedicated digital transformation unit to carry out technical verification and development of outstanding ideas.

Hyundai Steel has been fostering a culture of AI adoption since 2021 through its "AI & Big Data Festival." Beginning this year, the company rebranded the event as the AX Performance Sharing Event, with the aim of accelerating results that sharpen its steel manufacturing competitiveness.

"The AX Performance Sharing Event is not just a ceremony to recognize individual projects — it is a turning point at which AI spreads across the entire organization," Hyundai Steel President Lee Bo-ryong said. "We must share successful AX experiences, collaborate, and generate tangible results that raise productivity and manufacturing competitiveness."

Meanwhile, Hyundai Steel recently launched H.ARCHIVE, a heritage preservation platform built with employee participation. The initiative reflects the company's view that its history of rising to industrial challenges, along with the efforts of its employees, represents a core asset worth preserving.


eyre@heraldcorp.com