Samsung is no stranger to AI, with its Bixby platform featuring on a handful of its mobile devices in recent years. The digital assistant is still far from perfect though, which is perhaps why the South Korean company just announced a dedicated investment fund for AI projects named the NEXT Q Fund.

According to the company, the fund is looking to deal with startups that are working on "solving AI problems, as well as using AI to solve computer science problems." TechCrunch notes that the fund has a particular interest in AI solutions centred on learning simulations, problem learning, scene understanding and human-computer interaction, which by the sound of it all seems like areas that would benefit a mobile digital assistant.

With Google leading the way in terms of mobile AI services, bolstering Bixby and enriching the assistant to do more, would certainly give Samsung a more competitive offering. As far as how much has been sectioned off for investment, Samsung will be tapping into an estimated $150 million found in its US-based Next Fund.

When these investments will begin reaping benefits, remains to be seen.