Samsung shops for AI talent, ex-Meta and Apple join the mobile team

Samsung has decided to step up its efforts in developing artificial intelligence technologies, taking a move that directly involves the technical leadership of its Mobile division.

The South Korean company, aware of the need to integrate hardware and software more deeply, has recently reassigned a veteran of the semiconductor industry, with an illustrious background at giants such as Meta and Apple, to the role of head of the technology group dedicated to application processors (AP) within the Mobile eXperience (MX) division.

Ex-Meta and Apple will help Samsung develop mobile processors

The central figure of this reorganization is Heonjae Ha, an expert with an outstanding track record in the tech sector. Before joining Samsung, Ha had built his experience working for almost four years at Apple, before moving to Meta, accumulating crucial expertise in the design of advanced computing architectures.

His career also includes significant stints at SK Hynix, another semiconductor giant. Samsung had already recruited him in 2024 with the role of Corporate Vice President, initially entrusting him with leading the planning and execution of the development of customized intellectual property and, subsequently, the leadership of the System-on-Chip architecture team (SoC).

According to recent reports from South Korea, Ha’s appointment as head of the AP Tech Group in the mobile division implies a structural change of notable importance. In fact, this transfer suggests that the team responsible for SoC architecture has been moved under the direct aegis of the MX division.

This new organizational configuration is designed to break down the barriers between those who design the device’s brain and those who define its final functionalities. Working closely, silicon engineers and product developers will be able to optimize performance more granularly, following a vertical integration model that has already proven its effectiveness.

Towards AI integrated into hardware

The mandate given to the new team led by Ha will be crucial for the future of Samsung’s products. The priority is not only increasing raw computing power, but refining the neural processing capabilities directly on the device.

The goal is to support generative AI capabilities ranging from advanced computational photography to real-time communications management, without relying exclusively on the cloud.

With this move, Samsung aims to ensure that the architecture of its future processors is tailored to the specific needs of the Galaxy ecosystem, delivering optimized performance and greater energy efficiency to support the increasingly demanding workloads required by modern algorithms.