At the Centre of a New Reality

Artificial intelligence index At the centre of a new reality

The leader of Samsung’s artificial-intelligence research outlines the quest for convenient and natural interaction with machines. By Leigh Dayton

ebastian Seung’s new role at Samsung’s is to make users’ interactions with their devices Medicine Catalyst in 2019 (go.nature.com/ R&D Campus in the South Korean cap- “as convenient and natural as possible”. That 2jpnkjn), the app, a collaboration between ital of Seoul is a world away from his may mean turning on the air-conditioning unit Samsung and health-care provider and insurer, previous post at Princeton University with a voice command, running health checks Kaiser Permanente, significantly improves the in New Jersey. Appointed as the head through a smartwatch, or directing robot vac- likelihood that patients will complete rehabil- Sof Samsung Research in June 2020, Seung is uum cleaners with simplified sign language. itation programmes. “The completion rate leading thousands of people in 15 research “Multimodal interaction is core to what we jumped to almost 90%, up from 50, and the centres, who are investigating technologies do,” says Seung. “It has become a buzzword rate of rehospitalization plummeted after such as computer vision, augmented reality, driving AI research at Samsung.” Multimodal HeartWise,” says Seung. “This is a way to save robotics and 5G communications networks. interaction refers to devices that offer the user lives and also help to reduce health-care costs.” Seung also heads seven global artificial intel- multiple modes of interaction, such as sight,

ligence (AI) research centres in South Korea, speech and touch. Current AI systems use deep Leigh Dayton is a writer in Sydney, Australia. ELECTRONICS SAMSUNG the United States, the UK, Russia and Canada, learning to achieve this, which is a form of overseeing research on future technology machine learning enabled by artificial neural development and digital convergence, the way networks. Inspired by the structure and func- in which unrelated technologies become more tion of the human brain and nervous system, closely integrated as they advance. artificial neural networks simulate the way the “That’s a big leap beyond running a lab of brain analyses and processes information. students, postdocs and staff,” says Seung, who maintains his role as professor at the Neuro Deep learning science Institute and Computer Science Depart- Seung’s academic career has long straddled the ment of Princeton University remotely. His lab border between artificial and biological neural at Princeton runs Eyewire, an international networks. He was involved in the early develop- citizen-science project to map the brain. ment of neural chips, for instance, which pack powerful AI systems into computer chips small “Many of my colleagues enough to be integrated into battery-powered smartphones or robots. “When I was at MIT dismissed neural chips as 20 years ago, my lab published research on a science fiction 20 years ago.” neural chip and it was featured on the cover of Nature,” says Seung. “Many of my colleagues dismissed neural chips as science fiction back then, so it’s amazing that they are becoming Having previously worked at the Massachu- everyday technology now.” setts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cam- Seung says this focus on ‘on-device AI’ tech- bridge, Massachusetts, and AT&T (now Nokia) nology at Samsung is about developing devices Bell Labs in New Jersey, Seung describes aca- that are ‘smart’ on their own, offering more demia and industry as having “conceptual sim- interactivity and control to the user, without ilarities”. Both, he says, are highly competitive having to communicate remotely with comput- engines for innovation; scientists compete for ers in a data centre. This also enables fast and funding, whereas companies compete for prof- reliable responses from the device, and helps its, with both sectors demanding creativity. to safeguard privacy, he says. A self-described “intellectual jack-of-all- The smaller AI systems are, the more viable trades”, Seung brings experience in computer wearable devices become. Already, these science, neuroscience and physics. He was devices are making an impact, says Seung, recruited by Samsung Electronics in 2018 to pointing to Samsung’s HeartWise Galaxy watch help develop its AI strategy, including academic and smartphone app, designed to encourage collaborations and hiring researchers. Seung healthy behaviour after a heart attack. Sebastian Seung. says the top priority for Samsung Research in AI As reported in the New England Journal of