SES AI Corporation Accelerates AI Initiative with Key Leadership Changes and Partnerships

SES AI Corporation, a global leader in high-performance Li-Metal battery development, has announced two significant milestones in its AI Initiative. Effective October 17, 2024, Dr. Kang Xu, the current Chief Scientist, has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to spearhead the company’s AI efforts. Additionally, SES AI has signed its first commercial agreement with a leading global electrolyte producer, aiming to leverage AI for the advancement of Li-Metal and Li-ion electrolyte development across four critical applications: electric vehicles (EV), heavy-duty trucking, consumer electronics, and grid storage.

1. AI Innovations in Battery Development
   • SES AI is pioneering the use of AI in electric transportation from the molecular level.
   • CEO Qichao Hu highlights early successes, including the identification of novel molecules leading to high coulombic efficiency and extended cycle life electrolytes.
2. Strategic Partnership for Electrolyte Development
   • The partnership with a global electrolyte producer marks a first in the battery industry, facilitating faster innovation.
   • This collaboration is poised to revolutionize the global battery electrolyte market, currently valued at $12 billion and projected to reach $25 billion by 2030.
3. End-to-End Capabilities
   • SES AI aims to become a leader in battery material discovery with comprehensive capabilities:
     • Molecular property mapping
     • AI model development
     • Molecule synthesis
     • Electrolyte formulation and production
     • Cell production and validation
4. Dr. Kang Xu’s Expertise
   • Dr. Xu brings nearly 30 years of experience in battery electrolyte development and previously served at the Army Research Lab.
   • He will lead a team of computational chemists, AI/ML scientists, data scientists, and battery scientists to address real-life commercial challenges.
5. Transforming Electrolyte Discovery
   • Historically, fewer than 1,000 unique molecules have been studied for electrolytes, out of an estimated 10^12 possible candidates.
   • SES AI’s AI-driven approach seeks to exhaustively map molecular structures and properties, paving the way for groundbreaking electrolyte discoveries.
6. Integrating AI with Human Expertise
   • Dr. Xu emphasizes the importance of combining AI with the knowledge of seasoned scientists.
   • The proprietary AI machine will help train models to generate new molecules, which will be synthesized and tested in real cell applications.

SES AI Corporation’s recent milestones signal a transformative shift in battery development, merging AI technology with extensive human expertise to uncover new possibilities in Li-Metal and Li-ion electrolytes. With Dr. Kang Xu at the helm as CTO and a strategic partnership in place, the company is poised to lead the charge in electric mobility innovation, setting a new standard for the battery industry.

Businesswire