SEOUL: Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday that its medical equipment unit Samsung Medison has acquired the French artificial intelligence (AI) medtech startup Sonio, as part of its effort to expand its AI-powered healthcare solution business.

Samsung Medison entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire Sonio, which specialises in AI development for diagnostic reporting in obstetrics and gynaecology ultrasound, reports Yonhap news agency.

Through the acquisition of Sonio, Samsung Medison will gain access to the AI development talent in Europe and will enhance its medical AI solutions with Sonio's AI diagnostic assistant and reporting technology.

Founded in 2020, the Paris-based startup has developed an AI-powered prenatal screening solution that automates ultrasound reporting.

Sonio's key product, Sonio Detect, AI-powered software designed to identify prenatal syndromes and abnormalities through ultrasound, won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2023.