Samsung Electronics is accelerating its push to embed artificial intelligence across its mobile ecosystem, targeting 800 million AI-enabled smartphones and tablets by 2026, up from around 400 million devices at the end of last year, according to comments by senior executives reported by Reuters. The strategy centres on expanding Galaxy AI, Samsung’s suite of on-device and cloud-based AI features, as the South Korean technology group seeks to make artificial intelligence a default layer across its products rather than a premium add-on.
Speaking to Reuters in his first interview since becoming co-chief executive, TM Roh said Samsung aims to integrate AI “into all products, all tasks and all services as quickly as possible”, signalling an aggressive rollout pace over the next two years. Much of Galaxy AI is currently powered by Google’s Gemini models, reflecting Samsung’s deep ties to the Android ecosystem and positioning the company as one of Google’s most important distribution partners in the global race to scale consumer AI.
By embedding Gemini-backed features across hundreds of millions of devices, Samsung’s expansion is expected to materially strengthen Google’s reach at a time when competition among AI model providers is intensifying. Analysts note that Samsung’s scale as the world’s largest Android hardware partner gives it a unique ability to normalise AI use cases—such as real-time translation, image editing, summarisation and contextual assistance—among mainstream consumers rather than early adopters alone.
The move also reflects Samsung’s broader competitive strategy in the global smartphone market, where it faces pressure from Apple at the premium end and from fast-growing Chinese manufacturers across mid-range and entry-level segments. By rapidly diffusing AI features across its lineup, Samsung is seeking to differentiate its devices through software and services rather than hardware specifications alone.
Beyond mobile devices, Samsung is extending the same AI-first approach to televisions and home appliances, aiming to reinforce its leadership across consumer electronics by creating a more connected and intelligent ecosystem. Executives say the long-term objective is to position AI as a unifying layer across screens, homes and personal devices, strengthening user engagement and locking in customers as competition in hardware markets intensifies.
