Samsung Electronics Co. is ramping up its talent pool of scientists and engineers this year as part of efforts to build up competency in artificial intelligence (AI) and other next-generation technologies for future growth.

The South Korean tech giant has already employed some 500 experts with master’s degrees and doctorates in chip design, AI, and 5G network in the first six months of the year, and plans to hire 500 more experts in the second half, according to industry sources on Wednesday.

The company’s staffing plan follows its bold vision made public in 2018 that up to 180 trillion won ($150 billion) will be injected to explore new business opportunities in four emerging areas – AI, 5G network, biotech, and automotive electronics – as its future growth engine. Then in April 2019, the company vowed to invest 133 trillion won and hire 15,000 specialists by 2030 to become world’s No. 1 logic chip maker.

Last month the company appointed Dr. Sebastian Seung, a professor at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Computer Science and world-renowned AI expert, to head Samsung Research.

By Chun Gyung-woon and Cho Jeehyun

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]