Samsung Electronics expands AI semiconductor R&D and develops Gaia PC chip

Samsung Electronics is expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities through strategic talent acquisition and new hardware development. The company has recruited two prominent experts, Professor Han Bo-hyung from Seoul National University, specializing in deep learning and visual AI, and data engineering expert Hahn Tai-rin, to strengthen its semiconductor R&D. This move aims to integrate AI into chip design, manufacturing processes, and yield improvement.

Simultaneously, Samsung is reportedly developing a specialized AI accelerator codenamed ‘Gaia’ for the PC and edge AI markets. Built on an optimized 4nm process, the chip features a high-performance Neural Processing Unit (NPU) designed to enable on-device execution of Large Language Models (LLMs) without relying on cloud servers. The Gaia chip focuses on high performance-per-watt to manage heat and battery life in laptops, and is also intended for use in physical AI applications, such as autonomous robots and automated guided vehicles. Mass production is targeted for next year.