Expansion of AI features across mobile products
Samsung Electronics plans to double the number of its mobile devices equipped with Galaxy AI features to 800 million units in 2026, according to co-CEO T M Roh. The company had deployed these features to around 400 million devices by last year, including smartphones and tablets.
Galaxy AI is powered primarily by Google’s Gemini model, alongside Samsung’s own Bixby assistant for specific tasks. Samsung aims to integrate artificial intelligence across all products, functions, and services as quickly as possible.
Strategic boost for Google and competitive positioning
As the largest supporter of Google’s Android ecosystem, Samsung’s expansion of Galaxy AI is expected to strengthen Google’s position in the consumer AI market, where it competes with OpenAI and other developers. The move also supports Samsung’s strategy to regain leadership in the global smartphone market from Apple and to counter growing competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Samsung plans to offer integrated AI services across its consumer electronics portfolio, including mobile phones, televisions, and home appliances, to widen its lead in AI-enabled features.
AI adoption accelerates amid intensifying competition
Google launched the latest version of its Gemini model in November, highlighting performance gains over rival systems. In response, OpenAI accelerated development efforts and released its GPT-5.2 model weeks later.
Roh said awareness of Samsung’s Galaxy AI brand rose sharply to around 80% from roughly 30% within a year, signaling faster consumer adoption. While search remains the most widely used AI function on phones, users are increasingly engaging with generative AI tools for image editing, productivity, translation, and content summarization.
Memory chip shortage poses risks
Samsung is also navigating an unprecedented global memory chip shortage. While higher memory prices benefit its semiconductor division, they put pressure on margins in the smartphone business, which is the company’s second largest revenue source.
Roh said no company is immune to the impact and acknowledged that higher component costs could lead to price increases, though Samsung is working with partners to reduce longer term effects across its product lines.
Market outlook and foldable phones
Market researchers expect the global smartphone market to contract next year as rising component costs push prices higher. Roh also noted that adoption of foldable phones has been slower than anticipated, citing engineering challenges and limited application support.
Despite this, Samsung expects foldables to enter the mainstream within two to three years. The company held nearly two thirds of the global foldable smartphone market in the third quarter of 2025, though competition is intensifying from Chinese rivals and from Apple, which is expected to launch its first foldable device this year.
