• Samsung Research establishing AI Center to focus on robotics
• Already has five facilities in Korea, the US, UK, Canada and Russia
• Plans to employ about 1,000 specialists in AI research by 2020

Samsung Electronics is opening a new artificial intelligence (AI) research centre in New York to strengthen its AI capabilities, following similar centres in Korea, the UK, Canada, Russia and Silicon Valley. Located in the Chelsea district of Manhattan, the facility will be led by Daniel Lee, EVP of Samsung Research and a recognised authority in AI robotics, who only joined the firm last June after stints at Bell Labs and the University of Pennsylvania, where he was Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Samsung has announced plans to expand its advanced AI research capabilities to employ about 1,000 specialists by 2020.

Key Quotes:

• “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,” said Daniel Lee. “We also look forward to collaborating with top universities and academic centres in the region.”
•  “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 Hyun-suk Kim, President and Head of Samsung Research.

Original Press Release:

Samsung Electronics opens a new AI center in New York City

Korea on September 09, 2018

In addition to five facilities in Korea, the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Russia, Samsung Research is establishing another AI Center in New York, focusing on robotics

Samsung Electronics announced today that it will open a new artificial intelligence (AI) research center in New York City, the U.S., to strengthen its AI capabilities.

Located in the heart of Chelsea, the New York AI Center will be led by Daniel D. Lee, Executive Vice President of Samsung Research and a global authority in AI robotics, who joined Samsung Electronics last June. With cooperation from a leading authority in neuroscience-based AI technologies, H. Sebastian Seung, Executive Vice President of Samsung Research, the New York AI Center will spearhead the advanced AI research in robotics. As the Chief Research Scientist of Samsung Electronics, Seung will also advise Samsung on advanced AI research in developing future business growth opportunities.

“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 Hyun-suk Kim, President and Head of Samsung Research, the advanced R&D arm of Samsung Electronics’ device business. “To do this, our Global AI Centers, including the New York AI Center, must play a pivotal role.”

Samsung has announced plans to expand its advanced AI research capabilities to employ about 1,000 specialists by 2020. This will be Samsung’s sixth AI center around the world, and it will work in partnership with Samsung’s other AI research facilities. The additional AI centers are located in Korea, the U.K., Canada, Russia, and Silicon Valley, the U.S.

“We are excited to open a new Samsung AI center in New York, which will specialize in robotics research,” said Daniel D. Lee. “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. We also look forward to collaborating with top universities and academic centers in the region.”

The facility is located at 123 West 18th St, New York. The facility’s opening ceremony was held on September 7th in New York City, with about 100 guests in attendance including President Kim; Seunghwan Cho, Executive Vice President of Samsung Research; Geunbae Lee, Head of Samsung AI Center in Seoul; Professor Daniel P. Huttenlocher, the Dean of Cornell Tech; and Professor David Tank, Director of Princeton Neuroscience Institute.”

“The field of AI has made revolutionary progress by finally embracing neural networks,” said H. Sebastian Seung. “This is just the beginning of a new era of innovation in AI, and we at the Samsung AI research center in New York are proud to be part of this exciting quest.”

The global AI Centers will contribute to Samsung’s AI research with their unique regional strengths, and Samsung is expected to expand its AI centers to other technology and talent-rich areas to cement its place as a leader of AI research in the industry.

Attendees at the opening ceremony of Samsung’s AI Center in New York City come together to take a commemorative picture.