Samsung acquires British AI startup Oxford Semantic Technologies

Industry

Published: 18 Jul. 2024, 16:49

Samsung acquires British AI startup Oxford Semantic Technologies

Samsung Electronics said Thursday it has acquired British artificial intelligence and knowledge graph tech startup Oxford Semantic Technologies in a bid to strengthen its in-device AI capabilities.

The Korean tech giant signed an agreement to take over the Britain-based startup on Tuesday, but did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.

Established in 2017 by Oxford University professors Ian Horrocks, Boris Motik and Bernardo Cuenca Grau, Oxford Semantic Technologies specializes in cutting-edge knowledge representation and semantic reasoning technology.

Knowledge graph technology, which stores information as an interconnected web of related ideas, processes data similarly to human memory and reasoning. This technology is crucial to the development of sophisticated and personalized AI solutions by integrating and connecting personal data on habits and usage patterns.

Oxford Semantic Technologies has successfully commercialized its knowledge graph technology, optimizing data processing and enabling advanced reasoning both in the cloud and on-device.

Its AI-centric engine, RDFox, collaborates with organizations across Europe and North America in sectors such as finance, manufacturing and e-commerce.

Samsung Electronics said that Oxford Semantic Technologies' expertise in knowledge graphs will significantly enhance its on-device AI technology, particularly in the latest Galaxy S24 smartphone series. This integration aims to offer a more personalized user experience while securing personal data on the device.

The technology will also be applicable across Samsung Electronics' extensive product range, from mobile devices to TVs and home appliances.

"As global consumers realize their growing need for more personalized AI experiences, the acquisition of Oxford Semantic Technologies will further boost Samsung's strong capabilities in knowledge engineering," said Cheun Kyung-whoon, head of Samsung Research and chief technology officer.

"This acquisition is another important step forward as we strive to deliver tailor-made AI experiences built upon our hallmark technological innovation."

Yonhap