Samsung Electronics is establishing an Advanced General Intelligence (AGI) lab in Silicon Valley. This strategic initiative underscores Samsung’s commitment to spearheading next-generation AI chip technology.

AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence, represents a crucial frontier in AI development, aiming to create systems that mimic human learning and cognition. To power such systems, high-performance chips with minimal energy consumption are essential.

The AGI Computing Lab, as it’s called, has been set up under the leadership of Woo Dong-hyuk, a former Google engineer who joined Samsung Electronics as a senior vice president in 2023. With a background in both Intel and Google, Woo brings a wealth of experience to this endeavor, holding Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology and having led Google’s Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) project.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the project, Woo shared on his social media account last month, “I am happy to share that I’m building up a brand-new lab at Samsung Semiconductors.” Currently, the lab is actively recruiting software engineers.

Samsung’s recruitment post for the AGI Computing Lab emphasizes its dedication to addressing the intricate challenges posed by future AI and machine learning workloads. The ultimate goal is to revolutionize the deployment and execution of AI applications, thereby advancing AGI in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

This move by Samsung comes amidst a broader trend in the tech industry, with major players like Meta (formerly Facebook), OpenAI, and Anthropic doubling down on AGI research. Mark Zuckerberg recently announced Meta’s ambition to build AGI, aligning with others in the pursuit of what’s considered the holy grail of AI.

Samsung’s proactive step in establishing the AGI lab positions the company at the forefront of AGI development, indicating its readiness for the future of AI technology. As the industry gears up for the era of AGI dominance, Samsung aims to stay ahead of the curve and make significant contributions to shaping this transformative technology landscape.