Hyundai Motor Group is ramping up efforts to develop next-generation mobility materials using artificial intelligence, marking a major step in its broader “AI for Science” strategy. The South Korean automaker has signed a strategic partnership with CuspAI, a U.K.-based AI materials discovery startup, to accelerate innovation in high-performance and sustainable materials.
The partnership, announced Thursday in Cambridge, England, will see Hyundai and CuspAI collaborate across the entire materials development process. The companies aim to leverage AI to tackle scientific challenges that have long been too complex or time-consuming to solve, enhancing the efficiency, durability, and stability of advanced materials critical to electric and hydrogen-powered mobility.
CuspAI was co-founded by Max Welling, a leading AI scholar at the University of Amsterdam, and Chad Edwards, the company’s CEO. The startup combines generative AI with physics-based simulations to dramatically speed up materials design and validation—reducing what once took decades to just a few months. Headquartered in Cambridge, CuspAI operates a growing research network across Amsterdam, Berlin, and other European innovation hubs.
The deal reflects the fast-growing AI for Science movement, which applies machine learning to massive scientific datasets to predict molecular structures, optimize material properties, and discover new compounds. The technology is gaining traction in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to clean energy—and Hyundai hopes to bring those breakthroughs to mobility applications.
By embedding AI into its R&D processes, Hyundai aims to enhance the performance of key components for EVs and hydrogen vehicles, while advancing its sustainability goals.
“Hyundai Motor Group is leading a paradigm shift in mobility through fundamental materials innovation,” said Chul Park, head of Hyundai’s Open Innovation Strategy Office. “By harnessing AI to solve scientific challenges that traditional research methods cannot address, we will strengthen our leadership in sustainable next-generation mobility.”
CuspAI CEO Chad Edwards added, “Next-generation materials are the key to a sustainable future. Partnering with Hyundai—a global leader in manufacturing and materials innovation—allows us to accelerate the development of cleaner and more efficient solutions.”
The latest partnership builds on Hyundai’s earlier investment in CuspAI. In September, Hyundai joined Samsung Electronics and other investors in a $100 million funding round for the startup. Hyundai was particularly drawn by CuspAI’s focus on materials for carbon capture, green hydrogen, and semiconductor manufacturing—areas seen as vital to addressing climate change and advancing future technologies.
With this partnership, Hyundai is moving beyond financial investment toward full-scale AI-driven collaboration in scientific research—a move that could redefine the speed, cost, and sustainability of innovation in the future of mobility.
