Samsung sets up artificial intelligence research department

Samsung to set up a new center for research into artificial intelligence. The research should benefit both the Samsung Mobile and Samsung Electronics business units.

Samsung has not specifically disclosed what it will investigate, according to Reuters, the South Korean electronics giant is setting up the research center in order to “respond quickly to market developments”. It is also not yet clear where the center will be located and how many people will work there. The Korean newspaper ETNews writes that Samsung is also setting up the center to combine previous research into artificial intelligence from various business units under one roof.

Currently, Samsung uses artificial intelligence in its Bixby assistant. It now works on smartphones, but a next version of Bixby should also work on TVs and refrigerators, among other things. Bixby came about after Samsung acquired Viv Labs. That company consisted of the original makers of Siri, the assistant that Apple integrates into its equipment.

In early October, Samsung announced that it had opened an artificial intelligence research lab in Canada. There, the company works with the research group of Professor Yoshua Bengio, who specializes in deep learning, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

The new center is part of internal adjustments Samsung is making to its corporate structure. In addition, chief strategy officer Young Sohn will be given more opportunities to capitalize on new ‘business opportunities’ in the smartphone and consumer electronics segment.