Samsung opens Artificial Intelligence research centre in New York

Samsung Electronics Co has launched here its sixth artificial intelligence (AI) research centre which will focus on robotics research, the company said on Sunday.

The tech giant is seeking to strengthen its AI capabilities and has opened research institutes in South Korea, Britain, Canada, Russia and the Silicon Valley in the US, Yonhap news agency reported.

The new centre, which opened on Friday, is led by Daniel D. Lee, a leading AI and robotics scientist who joined the company in June.

"New York is one of the world's great cities, and with this new facility, we will be able to leverage the tremendous talent in the area," Lee said in a statement. "We also look forward to collaborating with top universities and academic centres in the region."

H. Sebastian Seung, a renowned neuroscientist, serves as the centre's chief research scientist.

The company earlier announced a plan to boost its AI research capabilities and employ about 1,000 specialists by 2020.

"What we need now is to focus on creating new values that make people's lives easier and more convenient by harnessing the power of AI in Samsung's products and services," said Kim Hyun-suk, President and Head of Samsung Research.

"To do this, our global AI Centres, including the New York AI Centre, must play a pivotal role."