[2024 Mirae Company Forum] Ham Cheolhee, Samsung Electronics Master, "On-Device AI Will Increase in Samsung TVs"

2024 Asia Future Business Forum Panel Discussion

"AI cannot be left out when talking about TV. We (Samsung Electronics) use the name 'AI Screen' because we wanted to provide a different experience from the current smart TVs. We will apply 'On-Device AI' extensively to Samsung TVs."

Ham Cheol-hee, Master (Senior Vice President) of Samsung Electronics' Visual Display (VD) Business Division, stated this on the 22nd during a panel discussion at the '2024 Asia Future Enterprise Forum' held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Ham Cheol-hee, Master of Samsung Electronics Visual Display Business Division, is participating in a panel discussion at the '2024 Asia Future Business Forum' hosted by Asia Economy at Lotte Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul on the 22nd. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Master Ham is an expert in developing 'Vision AI' technology for AI TVs. Vision AI refers to a function that combines 'computer vision,' which is mainly command-based, with data-driven 'deep learning.' Computer vision is an AI field where computers and systems interpret and analyze visual data to derive meaningful information.

On this day, Master Ham explained Samsung's AI technology focusing on the Neo (NEO) QLED 8K TV. The Neo QLED 8K TV is Samsung Electronics' flagship AI home appliance, led by Master Ham in its development.

Master Ham said, "One of the biggest features of Neo QLED is that it is equipped with the 3rd generation AI 8K processor," adding, "This provides an immersive viewing experience when watching TV."

The 3rd generation AI 8K processor is an AI system-on-chip (SoC) that Samsung Electronics has been researching and developing since 2020. Thanks to this chip, 'On-Device AI' technology can operate AI functions even without an internet network connection.

The biggest change viewers can feel by reflecting AI in TVs is image quality control. The AI installed in the Neo QLED 8K product analyzes low-resolution content, automatically adjusts brightness and blurring, and converts it into high-resolution video. It also forms textures in areas where sharpness drops and the image appears hazy while increasing resolution. It adjusts blurred parts more clearly. Master Ham explained, "AI is used to convert low-quality, low-resolution videos into high-quality, high-resolution videos," adding, "In particular, we are researching methods to analyze each video and perform optimal upscaling according to 512 categories."

This AI technology also shines in sports broadcasts like soccer, where rapid scene changes repeat. In low-resolution screens, the boundaries and spatial sense between players and the background are often unclear. Moreover, the movement of the ball sometimes overlaps with the background, making it difficult to locate the ball. However, AI analyzes the screen, adds depth, and converts it to high resolution. Master Ham said, "After AI analyzes the video, it identifies the sport and tracks the ball to create smooth motion."

Efforts are also being made for people with low vision. Master Ham said, "While the general public can enjoy foreign films through subtitles even if they do not understand the language, visually impaired people cannot see the subtitles," adding, "AI recognizes the text in subtitles and converts it into speech so they can listen to it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.