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Samsung is rejuvenating its AI capabilities, including hiring a former Apple executive who played a key role in developing Siri.
This strategic hire aims to bolster Samsung’s AI efforts, particularly for its digital voice assistant, Bixby, which has lagged behind competitors like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.
Former Apple Siri Lead to Head Samsung’s New AI Team
According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Samsung has hired Murat Akbacak to lead its newly established North America AI Center.
Akbacak, currently listed as the Head of Conversational & Contextual AI at Siri on his LinkedIn profile, is believed to be serving his notice period at Apple. Samsung reportedly announced this internal move while Apple unveiled its latest AI features at the WWDC.
Apple at WWDC introduced Apple Intelligence, its long-expected approach to generative AI positioned as personal AI assistanthttps://t.co/SjKWlzgQR5
— Techopedia (@techopedia) June 10, 2024
Revamping Bixby and AI Initiatives
Samsung’s decision to combine its AI teams in Toronto and Mountain View, California, aims to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. This consolidation is part of a broader effort to revitalize Bixby and integrate advanced AI functionalities across Samsung’s product ecosystem.
At Apple, Akbacak was instrumental in shaping Siri’s strategy, focusing on personalization, contextualization, and the development of conversational and multimodal AI. His expertise will significantly improve Bixby and other AI-driven Samsung device features.
Competitive AI Landscape
The competition in the AI space is heating up, with companies like Apple and Samsung rapidly introducing new AI capabilities. Samsung’s latest move reflects its commitment to staying at the forefront of this technological race.
Akbacak brings a wealth of experience from his time at Apple, where he worked on advancing Siri’s capabilities. His background also includes work on voice assistants at Microsoft a decade ago. This extensive experience in AI and voice recognition technology positions him well to lead Samsung’s efforts to enhance its AI services and products.
With Akbacak at the helm of its AI initiatives, Samsung is poised to make significant strides in improving Bixby and other AI technologies across its devices. Effective use of AI is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the tech industry, and this strategic hire could play a pivotal role in shaping Samsung’s AI landscape over the next decade.
