The new AI Center, which opened Friday, is led by Daniel D. Lee, a leading AI and robotics scientist who joined the company in June. H. Sebastian Seung, a renowned neuroscientist, serves as its chief research scientist.

"New York is one of the world's great cities, and with this new facility, we will be able to leverage the tremendous talent in the area," Lee said. "We also look forward to collaborating with top universities and academic centers in the region."

Samsung earlier announced a plan to boost its AI research capabilities and employ about 1,000 specialists by 2020.

"What we need now is to focus on creating new values that make people's lives easier and more convenient by harnessing the power of AI in Samsung's products and services," said Kim Hyun-suk, president and head of Samsung Research. "To do this, our Global AI Centers, including the New York AI Center, must play a pivotal role." (Yonhap)