Samsung Electronics held 'Tech Forum 2017' to discuss the current status and future of the IT industry in order to exchange ideas with top talents from Silicon Valley, USA.

The event, held on the 19th (local time) at Samsung Research America, a research center in Mountain View, Silicon Valley, for about 100 local developers and designers, took the form of a forum to introduce Samsung Electronics' major research and development areas and to discuss with the participants.

In his keynote speech that day, President Yoon Boo-keun said, “Samsung Electronics is striving to bring a better life to consumers by reducing the gap between the three pillars: customers who purchase products, innovations that can move customers, and employees who create those innovations.”

President Yoon stated, “In a situation like the present, where consumers and technology are changing simultaneously, if companies operate according to inertia, the gap between what consumers want and the technology companies create will widen even further,” and suggested that “the key keyword to bridge this gap and move forward with innovation different from the past is ‘Connect.’”

'Connect' signifies not merely technology, but the act of uniting Samsung Electronics' customers, the innovations it pursues, and its employees to create new possibilities previously unimaginable.

To realize 'Connect', Samsung Electronics [suits] the characteristics of consumers of various generations We plan to present new solutions and lifestyles, and showcase intuitive and safe technologies that anyone can use.

Furthermore, President Yoon stated, “To realize this, the role of talent is crucial,” adding, “Since people are what enable innovation, we will strive even harder to foster talent while creating a new culture where talented individuals can demonstrate their capabilities.”

This event also included a session where executives from promising future fields, such as artificial intelligence (AI), IoT, automotive technology, and design, gave presentations.

Participants showed great interest in each topic, and a lively discussion ensued. Samsung Electronics executives who gave presentations introduced the IT industry environment and the company's development status, exchanging various opinions with the participants.

In addition, a space has been prepared where visitors can directly and indirectly experience Samsung Electronics' products and organizational culture.

The exhibition featured 'The Frame,' a lifestyle TV that allows users to appreciate artwork at home, the Galaxy Note 8 and wearable devices, and 'Relumino,' a visual aid application from the Creative Lab program, which is being implemented to spread a creative organizational culture and helps visually impaired people see better.

Samsung Electronics plans to continue organizing such events both domestically and internationally to accelerate open innovation.