Samsung Hires Ex-Apple Siri Lead to Bolster AI Team

 

Samsung Electronics has reportedly hired Murat Akbacak, a former Apple executive responsible for Siri’s contextual and conversational AI, to lead its newly-formed North America AI Center.

While Samsung introduced several new AI-powered features with the Galaxy S24 earlier this year, Bixby, its AI assistant, has lagged behind competitors such as Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri.

Over the past few years, Bixby’s advancements have been relatively stagnant, prompting Samsung to take bold steps to catch up.

According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Samsung’s decision to hire Akbacak signifies a renewed focus on AI. Akbacak, currently listed as the Head of Conversational & Contextual AI at Siri on his LinkedIn profile, is said to be transitioning from Apple, potentially serving his notice period.

Samsung reportedly made the internal announcement this week, coinciding with Apple’s announcement of new AI features for iPadOS 18, iOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

Samsung is also restructuring its AI teams, merging its Toronto and Mountain View, California units to streamline operations and boost efficiency.

This consolidation aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both teams, enhancing Samsung’s overall AI development capabilities.

With AI becoming a critical component of modern technology, major companies like Apple and Samsung are fiercely competing to introduce innovative AI features in their products.

Akbacak’s extensive experience at Apple, where he defined and executed strategies for Siri’s personalization, contextualization, and conversational AI, positions him well to spearhead improvements in Bixby and Samsung’s broader AI initiatives.

Potential Impact on Samsung’s Ecosystem

Akbacak’s appointment is expected to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Samsung.

His background in advancing Siri’s capabilities could translate into significant improvements for Bixby and other AI-driven functionalities within Samsung’s Galaxy ecosystem of devices.

This move underscores Samsung’s commitment to enhancing user experiences through cutting-edge AI technology.