Samsung Electronics is planning a major expansion of its artificial intelligence ecosystem, aiming to double the number of mobile devices powered by Google’s Gemini AI to 800 million by the end of 2026. The move signals Samsung’s intent to deepen AI integration across its product portfolio while strengthening its competitive position against Apple and fast-growing Chinese smartphone brands.
In his first media interaction since taking over as co-CEO in November 2025, T M Roh said the company’s priority is to embed AI across all products, services, and internal functions as quickly as possible. According to a Reuters report, Samsung had already enabled Gemini-powered features on nearly 400 million devices in 2025, spanning smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology.
The strategy also aligns closely with Google’s broader ambition to maintain its lead in the global AI race, particularly against OpenAI. Roh highlighted that consumer awareness of Samsung’s Galaxy AI brand jumped sharply-from 30% to 80% within just one year-reflecting growing adoption of AI-driven tools such as real-time translation, advanced search, and generative image editing.
However, the aggressive push comes amid challenges. Roh acknowledged that a global shortage of memory chips has placed significant pressure on margins, making price increases unavoidable for certain consumer electronics products.
In the foldable smartphone segment, Samsung continues to dominate, holding a 64% market share in the third quarter of 2025, driven largely by demand for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Yet growth has been slower than expected due to technical complexities. With Apple likely to enter the foldable category in 2026, Samsung is banking on its broader “AX” (AI Transformation) vision-extending AI across TVs and home appliances-to sustain its competitive edge.
