Tell us about OST.
Oxford Semantic Technologies (OST) is a cutting-edge AI software company that started life as a spin-out from the University of Oxford in 2016. Our product is called RDFox®.
In contrast to the generative AI that has become popular in recent times, like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and DeepSeek, we provide logical AI technology.
We call this “knowledge-based AI” because it stores complex human knowledge and applies logical reasoning. This approach helps solve the much reported issue of AI hallucinations, along with other AI applications that require 100% accuracy.
In July 2024, OST was acquired by Samsung Electronics, and in February 2025, RDFox® launched on millions of Galaxy S25s powering the devices Personal Data Engine.
How did you come up with the idea for the company?
The idea for the company stemmed from decades of research by the three founding professors from the University of Oxford’s Computer Science department, in what is known as “Knowledge Representation and Reasoning” – or KRR for short.
The professors recognised the huge potential of turning this research into practical applications, having been frustrated by the limitations off traditional technologies.
The result was RDFox®, a knowledge-based AI that enables machines to apply knowledge, often from human experts, at vast scale and speed – and where the accuracy of answers is mission critical such as medical diagnoses, financial trading, and journalismAs far as we know, RDFox is the only enterprise scale AI software capable of allowing machines to reason like humans in a logical, deductive way (think Sherlock Holmes!).
More from Interviews
- Markus Feller, CEO of Like Magic: Unlocking Peak Efficiency In The Hospitality Industry
- Steve Blank, Author Of ‘The Lean Startup’ Gives His Advice To Startups
- John Patterson, President of IKE Tech: Setting New Benchmarks For Biometric Security
- B2B Lead Generation and AI: Interview With Andrew McLernon of Interlink
- “We’re Re-Writing What Financial Wellbeing Actually Means”, Says Ray Law, Founder and CEO of moneyappi
- Lara Stallbaum, Founder of Twirl: Connecting Brands With Over 4,000 UGC Creators
- Nina Briance, Founder at Cult Mia: Redefining Online Luxury Fashion
- Tracey Shirtcliff, Founder at SCOPE: Solving The ‘Pricing Problem’ For Businesses
What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
There is so much I have learnt since starting with Oxford Semantic Technologies, but my top three tips would have to be:
1) Hire the right people – Start by building a team that shares your vision and brings the mix of skills you will need.
2) Solve real client pain points – Don’t fall in love with an idea, fall in love with solving real problems.
3) Validate what you are building regularly – Get an MVP out there early, prove the concept, learn from failures quickly and then adjust or pivot.
4) Cash is king – Most start-ups fail because they run out of money. Watch costs like a hawk and know how long your runway is.
What most excites you about OST?
What excites me most about OST is that our technology is now being used in live systems across the globe, making a tangible impact on various industries
For example, RDFox is:
1. Running on millions of devices in people’s pockets worldwide.
2. Powering medical devices that save lives
3. Helping consumers receive more personalised and useful recommendations
4. Enabling efficient compliance with regulations in finance.
These are just a few of the applications, and knowing that we’re making such a meaningful contribution to society is quite humbling.
I’m also excited about the team we’ve built. We’re working at the cutting edge of AI with some of the most talented people in this field, from university professors to those just starting out in their careers.
How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?
We have seen significant growth, with global brands across various industries becoming our customers and deploying our technology to solve key challenges.
The team has doubled in size, and with the acquisition by Samsung we now have the privilege to collaborate with teams within the wider Samsung group.
OurRDFox software has also evolved significantly, adding new features that make it ready for large-scale deployments across global enterprises.
What can we hope to see from OST in the future?
Research and customer feedback are the cornerstones of Oxford Semantic Technologies. We’re working on exciting new capabilities, including finding ways to bring knowledge-based AI closer to those who hold expert knowledge.
As we continue to grow, we look forward to expanding the Oxford Semantic Technologies team, deploying with more customers and rolling out onto more Samsung devices. Our goal isto unlock and scale up the untapped expertise within organisations and build more reliable, accurate AI applications that can hugely benefit society.
