Samsung takes a big leap and buys artificial intelligence start-up founded by Siri’s creators - The Washington Post

Evidently Samsung is unwilling to wait to be allowed to use Google Assistant in its devices; check this Samsung press release for more details

"Samsung, the largest maker of televisions and smartphones in the world, is buying Viv Labs, a high-profile artificial intelligence startup founded by the inventors of Apple’s Siri voice assistant, the South Korean electronics conglomerate said Wednesday.

The move is a major land grab in the battle for cutting-edge artificial intelligence taking place among tech giants. Samsung, which has lagged in such services, is now positioned to add intelligent, Siri-like voice capabilities to its vast collection of home and mobile electronics.

“We have a unique opportunity to take advantage of AI, and show the rest of the industry what the smart, connected world can look like,” Jacopo Lenzi, Samsung’s Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Acquisitions, said in an interview. The companies declined to disclose the purchase price of the deal."

Samsung takes a big leap and buys artificial intelligence start-up founded by Siri’s creators - The Washington Post