Samsung aims to replicate human vision by integrating AI in camera sensors

Incorporating AI directly into imaging sensors is expected to result in improving image quality while lowering both latency and power consumption

South Korean electronics maker Samsung is reportedly planning to incorporate a dedicated chip responsible for artificial intelligence duties directly into its camera sensors. According to a report by Business Korea, Samsung is working on incorporating AI into its camera image sensors while aiming to create sensors capable of sensing and replicating human senses in the long term. Samsung is calling this “Humanoid Sensors” internally and would likely incorporate the technology into its devices earliest by 2027.

Last year, Samsung had unveiled a 200-megapixel ISOCELL camera sensor with “ZOOM Anyplace” technology. According to the company, the technology uses AI for automatic object tracking during close-up shots.

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South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix had also revealed its camera sensor with integrated AI processing chip during its Tech Summit in 2023.

Unlike traditional camera sensors that feed information to a device's CPU for image processing, AI camera sensors use an integrated chip with AI capabilities to process data directly at the sensor level. Incorporating AI into imaging sensors is expected to result in improving image quality while lowering both latency and power consumption. It could also result in better face and object recognition capabilities.

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While the AI integrated camera sensors are part of Samsung long term ambitions, the company is reported to bring AI-tools – similar to the Google Pixel 8 series – on its Galaxy series smartphone. These new AI features would likely include a new tool to generate wallpaper using combinations of keywords, ability to relocate objects in an image using AI and a feature that will let users expand a picture beyond its actual borders. Samsung Notes app is also expected to be treated with AI for the ability to auto-format big paragraphs and generate summary for the same when prompted.