Samsung Electronics has announced an ambitious plan to double the number of Galaxy devices equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities to 800 million units by the end of 2026, representing one of the most aggressive AI deployment strategies in the consumer electronics industry. The South Korean technology giant introduced AI functions to approximately 400 million smartphones and tablets in 2025 and aims to accelerate adoption across its entire product portfolio.
T.M. Roh, Samsung’s co-CEO who oversees the mobile division, stated in his first major interview since assuming the role that the company intends to integrate AI into all products, functions, and services as quickly as possible. This strategy reflects Samsung’s belief that artificial intelligence represents a transformative opportunity to differentiate its devices in an increasingly competitive smartphone market.
Consumer awareness of Samsung’s Galaxy AI features has grown dramatically, according to internal company surveys. Awareness jumped from 30 percent to 80 percent over the past year, suggesting that AI capabilities are beginning to resonate with mainstream consumers rather than remaining niche features appreciated only by technology enthusiasts.
The most popular AI functions currently include search capabilities, but users are increasingly adopting generative tools for image editing, productivity enhancement, translation services, and text summarization. These practical applications demonstrate that AI is moving beyond novelty features to become genuinely useful tools that enhance everyday device usage.
Many of Samsung’s AI features are powered by Google’s Gemini model, complemented by Samsung’s proprietary Bixby assistant. This partnership strengthens Google’s position in the global AI race while allowing Samsung to leverage advanced language models without having to develop all AI capabilities in-house. The collaboration represents a mutually beneficial relationship where Google gains distribution for its AI technology while Samsung can rapidly deploy sophisticated features.
Samsung’s AI push comes at a strategically important time for the company’s mobile business. The global smartphone market faces headwinds including rising production costs linked to memory chip shortages and generally sluggish consumer demand. Industry analysts from IDC and Counterpoint forecast market contraction in 2026, making product differentiation through AI features increasingly critical for maintaining market share and pricing power.
The company is also betting heavily on foldable smartphones, a category it pioneered in 2019 but which has grown slower than initially anticipated. Roh acknowledged that engineering challenges and limited app optimization have constrained foldable adoption but predicted mainstream acceptance within two to three years. The combination of AI features optimized for foldable form factors could help accelerate this timeline.
Samsung’s goal of achieving a second peak in its smartphone business by 2026 depends on successfully executing both its AI and foldable strategies. The company posted strong earnings rebounds in recent quarters, fueled by surging demand for high-end memory chips used in AI servers, providing financial resources to invest in mobile innovation.
For the broader technology industry, Samsung’s commitment to 800 million AI-enabled devices represents a significant milestone in making artificial intelligence ubiquitous in consumer products. As AI capabilities become standard features rather than premium options, the entire industry will likely need to accelerate AI integration or risk falling behind in consumer perception.
