{"id":154271,"date":"2026-03-25T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/?p=154271"},"modified":"2026-03-25T10:00:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T01:00:23","slug":"sk-on-institute-of-future-technology-sk-ons-ai-researcher-a-new-paradigm-in-battery-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271","title":{"rendered":"[SK On Institute of Future Technology] SK On\u2019s AI Researcher: A New Paradigm in Battery Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_Battery_Development_No_Longer_Made_Solely_by_Humans\" >| Battery Development: No Longer Made Solely by Humans<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_What_If_Battery_Cells_Are_Developed_with_AI\" >| What If Battery Cells Are Developed with AI?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_AI_Researcher_From_Data_Analysis_to_Prediction\" >| AI Researcher: From Data Analysis to Prediction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_Meet_the_AI-Based_Design_Analysis_Machine\" >| Meet the AI-Based Design &amp; Analysis Machine<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_The_Transformative_Impact_of_AI_Researcher\" >| The Transformative Impact of AI Researcher<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\/#_AI_Researcher_Evolving_Together_with_Human_Researchers\" >| AI Researcher: Evolving Together with Human Researchers<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-6a2b2af5-0f90-4130-9b89-41fa9a4524c2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Battery_Development_No_Longer_Made_Solely_by_Humans\"><\/span><strong><mark><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark> Battery Development: No Longer Made Solely by Humans<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ffe1a21b-2aac-45dc-a43b-91fe0bb109ee\">The standard for a good battery is simple: it should be quick to charge, cost-effective, and safe. But as the electric vehicle market continues to expand, the range of performance requirements for each vehicle is growing wider. Charging speed, driving range, safety, and cost now must be addressed simultaneously \u2014 making battery cell design more complex. This has increased the need for the systematic use of accumulated data, as well as a streamlined development process. In this context, independent research firm IDTechEx notes that <strong>AI has become essential<\/strong> across the entire battery lifecycle, from development and manufacturing to operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-9163254a-c983-4695-b5ba-0dad7a593e3d\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-a48d45fb-9d4d-4ac4-af8f-06eb90975074\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_What_If_Battery_Cells_Are_Developed_with_AI\"><\/span><strong><mark><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark> What If Battery Cells Are Developed with AI?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-98fbba06-a415-4ca9-a25f-facd28ced26b\"><strong>Designing a battery cell<\/strong> is a complex task influenced by a wide range of conditions and variables. The most basic unit of a battery is the cell, which is made up of four key components: cathode, anode, electrolyte, and separator. The way these components are designed has a significant impact on overall battery performance, and at the design stage, multiple factors \u2014 such as the material properties of each component \u2014 must be considered at the same time. Even when looking at cathode materials in isolation, engineers must account for particle characteristics; crystal structure; electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical properties; and surface features. These properties interact with one another, ultimately determining core performance indicators such as driving range, charging speed, safety, and lifespan. Under traditional development approaches in which researchers manually review and combine these variables, <strong>developing a single battery can take several years<\/strong>. When customer requirements change or unexpected variables arise, designs often need to be revisited \u2014 inevitably increasing both time and cost. To overcome these limitations, SK On\u2019s Institute of Future Technology built AI Researcher, an <strong>AI-based R&amp;D platform<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"block-e568e0f6-34c9-4fd5-b2ef-358e748d69c9\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4.AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90_%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC-%EC%9D%B4%EB%AF%B8%EC%A7%80-1.png\" alt=\"\uc774 \uc774\ubbf8\uc9c0\ub294 \ub300\uccb4 \uc18d\uc131\uc774 \ube44\uc5b4\uc788\uc2b5\ub2c8\ub2e4. \uadf8 \ud30c\uc77c \uc774\ub984\uc740 4.AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90_%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC-%EC%9D%B4%EB%AF%B8%EC%A7%80-1.png\uc785\ub2c8\ub2e4\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u25b2 Institute of Future Technology, SK On\u2019s R&amp;D center in Daejeon, South Korea<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-77c9bc0b-b103-455e-942b-47f6fddd9083\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-bb1f5cd2-4a2a-4865-927b-93cb40b5ece5\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_AI_Researcher_From_Data_Analysis_to_Prediction\"><\/span><strong><mark><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark> AI Researcher: From Data Analysis to Prediction<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-7c093429-18ad-4798-bfc1-35ca0852112c\">As an <strong>AI-based R&amp;D platform<\/strong>, AI Researcher has one primary goal: reducing development time. It learns from large volumes of data spanning experiments, processes, and designs to support a broad range of battery development functions. As of the publication of this article, SK On has established a Cell Development AI Researcher and is currently building a Materials Development AI Researcher, and these development platforms are organized by function, with each functional unit consisting of multiple AI systems operating in parallel. For example, the Cell Development AI Researcher includes a Cell Design AI Researcher equipped with AI such as a request for quotation (RFQ) analysis AI, AI that predicts cell performance and calculates cost, and a report-generation AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90_%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90-ENG-2.png\" alt=\"\" title=\"5_AI \uc5f0\uad6c\uc6d0_\uc778\ud3ec_AI \uc5f0\uad6c\uc6d0-ENG-2\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-523ca780-6c5a-45b5-8902-9deb4d1e8587\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-85067233-5259-45d1-90fe-1705a2e70317\">By coordinating multiple AI systems, AI Researcher reduces battery cell design timelines to roughly one-third of conventional timelines, with the Materials Development AI Researcher now in the works and expected to cut materials development timelines by approximately 50%. At the center of these advancements is <strong>SK On\u2019s<\/strong> <strong>AI-based Design &amp; Analysis Machine<\/strong>, which serves as the <strong>core engine of the Cell Design AI Researcher<\/strong>. The AI-based Design &amp; Analysis Machine generates cell design proposals based on design and experimental data, predicts the performance of each design, and calculates cost. For its technical maturity, it has won top awards at internal AI competitions such as SK Innovation AI Day in 2025 and SK On\u2019s AIDT Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f199a77d-16fc-44dc-a9ed-df04b4f0e5a6\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-de59d84e-9734-4909-9f2d-6b166c1a2d87\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_Meet_the_AI-Based_Design_Analysis_Machine\"><\/span><strong><mark><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark> Meet the AI-Based Design &amp; Analysis Machine<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e8f8a29b-343c-4507-924f-0639e75b8843\"><sup>* This interview is a fictional conversation created to help readers better understand the technology behind the AI-based Design &amp; Analysis Machine.<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"block-99ff1816-71ff-404c-8552-f9d419939cc7\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90-%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%98%ED%94%BD_ADAM-2-1.png\" alt=\"\uc774 \uc774\ubbf8\uc9c0\ub294 \ub300\uccb4 \uc18d\uc131\uc774 \ube44\uc5b4\uc788\uc2b5\ub2c8\ub2e4. \uadf8 \ud30c\uc77c \uc774\ub984\uc740 7_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90-%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%98%ED%94%BD_ADAM-2-1.png\uc785\ub2c8\ub2e4\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u25b2 The AI-based Design &amp; Analysis Machine working with SK On researchers to develop optimal battery cell designs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e978530a-0d1e-4fbd-a81d-90c32f1fe704\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--big-text-white)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-color\">Q.<\/mark> Could you briefly introduce yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-90df55f3-c578-4f24-be83-ab86b2b82c42\">Hello. I am the AI-based Design &amp; Analysis Machine, the core AI engine within the Cell Design AI Researcher. By learning from SK On\u2019s extensive accumulated data, I can generate design proposals that reflect customer requirements and analyze their performance and cost.<br><br><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--big-text-white)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-color\">Q.<\/mark> How do you collaborate with researchers in practice?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-69aefffd-8be6-485e-bf72-333ee9739c82\">When a customer submits an <strong>RFQ<\/strong>, an SK On researcher forwards it to the Cell Design AI Researcher. Within the Cell Design AI Researcher, the RFQ analysis AI organizes the required performance conditions and delivers them to me. Based on these inputs, I develop multiple design options. Using historical cell design records, test results, and other battery-related data, I <strong>predict the performance<\/strong> of each option and <strong>calculate<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>cost<\/strong>. Then, I deliver the completed design options to SK On researchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-5ee34121-b15f-411d-936a-0ae1cdee3a2a\">After they\u2019ve received the design options, <strong>researchers apply their professional judgment<\/strong>. They review manufacturability, scalability for mass production, and compliance with safety standards before <strong>selecting a final design<\/strong>. In short, I generate design options that reflect customer requirements and pre-evaluate their performance and cost, while SK On researchers determine the optimal design based on those results. That\u2019s how we work together to complete battery cell designs.<br>\ufeff<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-2dee293b-904c-4d2f-8b00-2fdace4be582\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--big-text-white)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-accent-color\">Q. <\/mark>Can you immediately respond to changing customer requirements?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4d5a8572-e1b8-4c4c-829f-f09fd2190905\">Absolutely. When new requirements come up \u2014 such as the need for higher output or longer lifespan \u2014 I run the performance predictions again, based on those updated requirements. In the past, researchers often had to redesign the battery cell and repeat experiments from the beginning. Today, that process takes significantly less time. And speed and accuracy will only continue to improve across domains as SK On develops additional AI Researchers, like the Materials Development AI Researcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-47ead791-6e8d-42d9-ac00-ea5df059040b\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-2e56ab91-2c38-42f7-99e7-cc1b69763c7d\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_The_Transformative_Impact_of_AI_Researcher\"><\/span><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <strong>The Transformative Impact of AI Researcher<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-8264cb4a-5ab2-4a7f-b3aa-accd1039072a\">The introduction of AI Researcher marks a clear turning point in battery development at SK On. While the process has shifted from an experiment-driven approach to one centered on prediction that reduces development time by roughly two-thirds, it is also projected to accelerate the speed of cost analysis by approximately 700 times. In the same amount of time, the number of design candidates that can be reviewed is expected to increase by more than 15 times, enabling a much broader range of exploration. Overall, AI Researcher is expected to bring down development costs by about 60%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"block-07c0e781-ace6-4eff-b378-b77ab454438e\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8.AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90_%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90-%EA%B8%B0%EB%8C%80%ED%9A%A8%EA%B3%BC-ENG.png\" alt=\"\uc774 \uc774\ubbf8\uc9c0\ub294 \ub300\uccb4 \uc18d\uc131\uc774 \ube44\uc5b4\uc788\uc2b5\ub2c8\ub2e4. \uadf8 \ud30c\uc77c \uc774\ub984\uc740 8.AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90_%EC%9D%B8%ED%8F%AC_AI-%EC%97%B0%EA%B5%AC%EC%9B%90-%EA%B8%B0%EB%8C%80%ED%9A%A8%EA%B3%BC-ENG.png\uc785\ub2c8\ub2e4\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-2f8380ff-b6ec-4c8d-b50e-b47b90e6d432\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-4dc0b836-e3e3-473a-9a4f-4e55bd19b54b\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"_AI_Researcher_Evolving_Together_with_Human_Researchers\"><\/span><strong><mark><strong><strong><strong><strong><mark style=\"background-color:var(--extra-big-text-white);color:#3abcff\" class=\"has-inline-color\">|<\/mark><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/mark> AI Researcher: Evolving Together with Human Researchers<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-c4489fa5-cd9f-4f12-ac1f-dffebb9dfb06\">As researchers accumulate experience and expertise, AI Researcher\u2019s predictive capabilities continue to improve. In turn, the analyses and insights generated by AI Researcher help refine researchers\u2019 decision-making. This virtuous cycle enhances overall R&amp;D efficiency and creates a foundation for AI and researchers to grow together. Looking ahead, AI Researcher is expected to expand across SK On\u2019s R&amp;D organization, establishing a new benchmark for next-generation battery development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<pre id=\"block-5307e668-dffa-46a8-ac38-a3d29e732972\" class=\"wp-block-preformatted\"><strong>\u25a0 Related articles<\/strong><br><br>- <a href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/153768\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[Battery Deep Dive] Part 1: Solid-State Batteries<\/a><br><br>- <a href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/153809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[Battery Deep Dive] Part 2: Thermal Propagation Prevention<\/a><br><br>-<a href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/153845\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> [Battery Deep Dive] Part 3: The Dry Electrode Process<\/a><br><br>- <a href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/153882\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">[Battery Deep Dive] Part 4: Cell-to-Pack Technology<\/a><\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>| Battery Development: No Longer Made Solely by Humans The standard for a good battery is simple: it should be quick to charge, cost-effective, and safe. But as the electric vehicle market continues to expand, the range of performance requirements for each vehicle is growing wider. Charging speed, driving range, safety, and cost now must &#8230; <a title=\"[SK On Institute of Future Technology] SK On\u2019s AI Researcher: A New Paradigm in Battery Development\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/archives\/154271\" aria-label=\"Read more about [SK On Institute of Future Technology] SK On\u2019s AI Researcher: A New Paradigm in Battery Development\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":614,"featured_media":154291,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1911,1912],"tags":[752,2005,1918,35,648],"class_list":["post-154271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inno-focus","category-deepdive","tag-ai","tag-airesearcher","tag-batteriesmaterials","tag-battery","tag-sk-on"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/614"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154271"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154296,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154271\/revisions\/154296"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/154291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/askinno.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}