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More details about Samsung’s AI human project ‘Neon’ have been revealed

Published Jan 1st, 2020 3:46PM EST
Samsung Neon AI
Image: Lee Jin-Man/AP/Shutterstock

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Samsung has been sharing Neon teasers fairly frequently over the last few weeks, but we’re still not sure exactly what to expect from this particular product. What we do know is that Neon is an artificial human project that will be unveiled in just a few days at CES 2020. While we have no idea what to truly expect from Neon, a brand new discovery reveals more details about what could be Samsung’s boldest product ever.

The folks at LetsGoDigital, who have dug up plenty of information from patent applications about potential products of the future, such as the PS5 and future iPhone models, have found documentation pertinent to Neon.

The Dutch-language blog unearthed four Samsung trademark applications filed with the USPTO for the following product names: Neon, Neon Artificial Human, Neon.Life and Core R3. More interesting are the descriptions that Samsung provided for these trademark filings. Here’s the one for Neon:

Entertainment services, namely, production of special effects including model-making services, computer-generated imagery and computer-generated graphics for the production of motion pictures, videos and movie trailers; augmented reality video production; creating computer generated characters; design and development of computer-modeled versions of human beings using computer animation for use in movies, television, internet and other applications; design and development of software for virtual characters; creating for others custom computer-generated imagery, animations, simulations and models used for entertainment.

And this is the one for Neon.Life, and Core R3:

Downloadable and recorded software for creating, viewing, manipulating, editing, malfunctioning, publishing, and exporting virtual characters; downloadable and recorded software for developing virtual characters; downloadable and recorded software for computer generated characters for use in movies, television, internet and entertainment purposes; computer programs to create, deploy and distribute realistic looking virtual characters via an internet platform ; design and development of computer-modeled versions of human beings using computer animation.

From the looks of it, Samsung is imagining a future where it would be able to create an artificial being much smarter than the Bixby assistant that comes preloaded on its phones. This artificial human project sounds like it would require its own operating system, which would combine a variety of elements to create a virtual reality persona. It’s unclear whether this artificial human would have AI brains, or would become an avatar of the user. The latter isn’t an especially exciting prospect. It sounds more like an evolution of Samsung’s AR Emoji.

But if Neon, turns out to be an AI human-like computer, then Samsung might be one of the first tech companies to unveil what might grow into the future of personalized operating systems and real androids. Samsung will tell us everything about Neon in a few days at CES 2020.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.