Samsung's decade-long plans for the semiconductor market are already taking shape in different forms. In recent news, the company has reportedly launched an in-house AI research unit under the Device Solutions division.
According to unnamed sources cited by The Korea Herald, the AI unit's primary purpose is to research and create AI technologies designed to improve the semiconductor manufacturing process. In other words, it won't develop AI products for the consumer market, so this has little to do with Samsung's ‘Age of Experience.' Instead, the new AI division will contribute to creating a highly-sophisticated smart semiconductor factory.
The new AI division is called ‘Data & Information Technology Center' and it's being led by Shim Eun-soo, who used to be the head of AI software research at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT). According to the source, Samsung Electronics is now scouting for AI researchers with doctorates from universities including the University of Tokyo and the State University of New York. Having said that, the so-called Data & Information Technology Center is not yet fully operational.
Samsung continues to be one of the biggest players in the semiconductor space and the company's ambitions to outshine both Intel and Qualcomm haven't slowed down a bit. Last quarter, Samsung Group made a $6.83 million investment in semiconductor startup IVworks, and the company's 3nm chip development seems to be going according to plan. Even more recently, Samsung won a contract to manufacture Qualcomm's X60 5G chipset using a 5nm process.
