Google unveiled just two days ago its connected life ecosystem with Pixel and Google Assistant and Samsung reacts adding AI enhanced features to its interfaces through Viv purchase.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that it has agreed to acquire Viv Labs, Inc..
Viv has developed a unique, open artificial intelligence (AI) platform that provides third-party developers the power to use and build conversational assistants, as well as integrate a natural language-based interface into renowned applications and services.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
As part of the conditions agreed for the transaction, the founding team, will work closely with Samsung’s Mobile
Communications business, but continue to operate independently under its current leadership, the AI visionaries Dag Kittlaus (Siri co-founder), Adam Cheyer and Chris Brigham, who established the company.
This is the second time that a startup established by Kittlaus is purchased by a tech giant, after Siri was acquired by Apple in 2010.
Samsung buys Viv after four years of development and some rumors that Facebook and Google were bidding for the startup.
Dynamic self generation of programs
With the rise of AI, consumers now desire an interaction with technology that is conversational, personalized and contextual, an experience that fits seamlessly within their everyday lives. To achieve this, Viv has developed a new and proprietary platform that allows this sort of interaction to scale.
Viv’s platform also allows developers to teach the system how to create new applications or to better use those aready in place, building an open ecosystem of intelligence that is greater than the aggregation of its parts and gets smarter every day.
Chance to offer an entire new range of enhanced services
With Viv, Samsung will be able to unlock and offer new service experiences for its customers, including one that simplifies interfaces, understands the context of the users and offers them the most appropriate and convenient suggestions and recommendations.
“Unlike other existing AI-based services, Viv has a sophisticated natural language understanding, machine learning capabilities and strategic partnerships that will enrich a broader service ecosystem,” said Injong Rhee, CTO of the Mobile Communications business at Samsung Electronics. “Viv was built with both consumers and developers in mind. This dual focus is also what attracted us to Viv as an ideal candidate to integrate with Samsung home appliances, wearables and more, as the paradigm of how we interact with technology shifts to intelligent interfaces and voice control.”
“At Viv, we’re building the simplest way for anyone to talk to devices and services everywhere. We see a future that is decidedly beyond apps—where you can get what you need quickly and easily no matter where you are, or what device you are near,” said Viv co-founder and CEO, Dag Kittlaus. “Samsung offers us a unique opportunity to deliver a single conversational interface to the world’s apps and services across a diverse range of products, at global scale.”
Samsung’s Global Innovation Center spearheaded the acquisition for Samsung’s Mobile Communications business. “At GIC we’re always looking for startups with a compelling vision and breakthrough experiences we can help build, grow and scale,” said Jacopo Lenzi, SVP of Business Development and Strategic Acquisitions, Samsung Global Innovation Center. “We see great potential in the Viv AI software and platform, and we’re excited for Viv to reach our millions of users through Samsung’s global presence and distribution.”
Image over the headline.- Samsung logo and Viv logo. Respectively © Samsung and © Viv
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