Samsung Electronics joined a global artificial intelligence (AI) research group as it seeks to take a leading role in developing the future direction of related technologies.

The South Korea-based vendor said its membership of the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (PAI) will enable it to play a part in ensuring AI delivers benefits to people and society, a key aim of the group. PAI was formed in 2016 and today counts 80 members including Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and Sony.

In a statement, Samsung said it will join the Collaboration Between People and AI Systems working group, to research possible collaboration between humans and AI. Samsung also plans to contribute to research into topics including safety, transparancy, and the social and economic impacts of AI.

Seunghwan Cho EVP of Samsung Research (the advanced R&D arm of Samsung’s device business), said the company aims to participate in the “ongoing process of AI and develop best practices” covering related technologies. The company is “dedicated to producing AI products and services that are reliable and safe for people and beneficial to society”, the executive added.

Samsung operates a network of seven global AI centres and in August committed to invest KRW25 trillion ($21.9 billion) investment over three years in areas including AI and 5G.

Last month it purchased Barcelona-based Zhilabs to beef up its AI analytics capabilities ahead of an expected increase in the use of AI-based automation in the launch of new services on 5G networks.

In a related statement, PAI executive director Terah Lyons, said: “Technology is a series of decisions made by humans, and by involving more viewpoints and perspectives in the AI debate we will be able to improve the quality of those decisions.”