Samsung SDI Unveils All-Solid-State Battery for Physical AI for the First Time... Three Major Battery Companies Enter Technology Race (Comprehensive)

On March 9, Samsung SDI announced that it will unveil, for the first time, pouch-type all-solid-state battery samples for physical artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as humanoid robots at "InterBattery 2026," which will be held at COEX in Seoul on March 11. Alongside this, Samsung SDI will also introduce ultra-high-output batteries designed for use in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and battery backup units, which are essential for AI data centers, showcasing its world-class all-solid-state battery technology.

At this event, Samsung SDI will present a wide array of innovative technologies and products in the largest exhibition space among participating companies. In particular, it will introduce its all-solid-state battery technology currently under development with the goal of mass production in the second half of next year. The company plans to publicly unveil, for the first time, pouch-type all-solid-state battery samples developed for the fast-growing physical AI sector.

Perspective View of Samsung SDI Booth at InterBattery 2026. Samsung SDI

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Samsung SDI is developing all-solid-state batteries in a lightweight pouch-type form factor to meet the high safety and output requirements of physical AI applications. Since robots generally have limited space for batteries, they require compact batteries with high energy density and long operating times. Additionally, because robots experience brief power peaks during movement, strong output performance is necessary. Having developed prismatic all-solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, Samsung SDI intends to diversify its form factors to apply its technology to a wider range of applications, including humanoids, various types of robots, aerospace systems, and next-generation wearables.

Samsung SDI’s exhibition concept at InterBattery is "Inside AI," aiming to vividly demonstrate how batteries are used across industrial sites and daily life. The main space of the booth is designed to replicate an actual IT company’s data center, allowing visitors to feel as if they are inside a real data center.

At the center of the booth, a model of a UPS installed in a data center is displayed, equipped with Samsung SDI’s U8A1 UPS battery. The U8A1 employs a proprietary prismatic battery form factor with lithium manganese oxide (LMO) material, achieving both high output performance and safety. As a product dedicated to AI data centers, it offers high energy density, increasing spatial efficiency by 33% compared to conventional products, enabling data centers to supply the required power quickly and reliably with fewer batteries. Moreover, unlike general UPS batteries that operate only during emergencies such as blackouts, this product also stabilizes power quality during sudden surges in AI power demand, making it optimized for the needs of UPS customers.

On one side of the booth, Samsung Battery Box (SBB), a full lineup of energy storage system (ESS) solutions essential for stable and eco-friendly power management in the AI era, will be on display. A Samsung SDI representative said, "Visitors can see the interior of the SBB 1.5, which is filled with tens of thousands of high-nickel NCA (nickel, cobalt, aluminum) prismatic battery cells inside a 20-foot container," adding, "They can also check out the module-integrated direct injection system, a differentiated ESS safety technology."

In the SBB zone, Samsung SDI will unveil for the first time at this year’s InterBattery event its fire prevention software for ESS. Based on AI, this program diagnoses the overall health of batteries-including status, lifespan, and abnormalities-by detecting and predicting issues in advance. The software is trained on data collected by Samsung SDI from over 140 ESS sites, both domestically and internationally, and uses proprietary algorithms and self-developed diagnostic indicators to predict battery conditions ahead of time.

Samsung SDI, which holds the largest number of patents related to prismatic technology in the battery industry, also plans to intensively promote the differentiated performance and safety technologies of its prismatic batteries. In particular, it will exhibit products such as the "700Wh/L High-Energy Prismatic Battery," which won the "InterBattery Awards" this year, showcasing its independently accumulated expertise. In addition, visitors can directly observe power tools equipped with Samsung SDI’s cylindrical batteries on site and experience the company’s ultra-high-output cylindrical battery technology. Samsung SDI’s cylindrical batteries utilize technology that reduces internal cell resistance, enabling high output and rapid charging. Circular saws equipped with Samsung SDI cylindrical batteries can reduce working time by up to 40% compared to existing batteries when cutting wood, and the batteries can reach 80% charge in just 15 minutes.

SK On Inter Battery 2026 Exhibition Hall Immersion Cooling Pack Model. SK On

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◆ Next-Generation Innovation Competition Among the Three Major Battery Companies = At this year’s InterBattery event, in addition to Samsung SDI, Korea’s three leading battery companies-including LG Energy Solution and SK On-will all participate to showcase next-generation innovative battery technologies that will lead the future energy industry.

LG Energy Solution is exhibiting core battery technologies and cases applied to major industries, including electric vehicles, ESS, robotics, and drones. Representative examples include the home robot LG CLOi, which was unveiled at the world’s largest electronics and IT exhibition CES 2026, as well as Bear Robotics’ autonomous robots, drones for blood transportation, and aerospace cube satellites. The company is also introducing for the first time its lithium manganese rich (LMR) battery, which maximizes the balance between price and performance. Co-developed with General Motors in the United States, this battery won the "Battery Innovation Award" at The Battery Show North America 2025 last year. LG Energy Solution will also present the current status of its next-generation technology development, including all-solid-state batteries.

SK On is exhibiting its "Cell-to-Pack (CTP) Integrated Package Solution" for the first time. The company will showcase a portfolio expanded from cell and module-focused products to pack-level products, including pouch-type CTP, pouch-integrated prismatic packs, and large-area cooling technology CTP. In addition, a model of a submersion cooling pack featuring submersion cooling fluid technology will also be on display. Submersion cooling technology is regarded as a promising future technology that enhances battery cell stability by directly circulating insulating fluid inside the pack to maintain consistent battery temperatures.

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