Samsung, CJ collaborate on artificial human projects

Samsung Electronics Co. announced on Oct. 29 that it has entered into an agreement with CJ Olive Networks Co. to collaborate on Neon, an artificial human project run by Samsung Technology and Advanced Research Labs (STAR Labs).

Neon was first unveiled in January at the CES 2020 held in Las Vegas. It is an artificial intelligence-powered virtual being that has the looks and behavior of a human, with the ability to show emotions through facial expressions, form memories and learn new skills. 

Neon is powered by STAR Labs-developed Core R3 software, which stands for reality, real time, and responsive. 

Samsung says that over time Neons could function as news anchors or shopping hosts to deliver customized news content and product recommendations. They could even become companions or K-pop stars, the company said.

Samsung will collaborate with CJ to spearhead media content services using Neons while also working to further improve artificial intelligence technology.

"We're happy to collaborate with Korean content titan CJ Group which has led the hallyu (global popularity of Korean content) wave. CJ Group will see its content creation approach become more innovative through our Neon technology," said Pranav Mistry, chief executive officer at STAR Labs.

CJ Olive Networks, the IT arm of CJ Group, intends on using Neon to respond to the fast-changing media content landscape. The first joint project will be creating a virtual influencer to produce fresh content material.

"The artificial human area is growing rapidly thanks to the developments in the artificial intelligence sector," said Cha Inhyok, the chief executive officer at CJ Olive Networks.

"Together we will create an original approach for visual content creation and cater to the novel needs of our consumers," Cha added. 

Moving forward, STAR Labs will offer two types of corporate services using Neon. The first will be NEON Content Creation, a service that uses Neons to offer new types of creative content in various sectors including media, education and retail. The second will be NEON WorkForce, a service that introduces a unique customer experience in retail, mobile application, and web surroundings.

In the near future, STAR Labs is set to enter a partnership with a domestic financial company to provide consumers convenient financial services using Neon. The goal is to provide an intuitive and easy experience for consumers across broad sectors through Neon’s sophisticated technology.

Write to Min-ki Koo at kook@hankyung.com
Danbee Lee edited this article.