SEOUL: Samsung Electronics plans to double this yr the variety of its cell gadgets with “Galaxy AI” options largely powered by Google’s Gemini, its co-CEO mentioned, which might give the US agency an edge over rivals as the worldwide race in synthetic intelligence heats up.
The South Korean firm, which had rolled out Gemini-backed AI options to about 400 million cell merchandise, together with smartphones and tablets, by final yr, plans to spice up that determine to 800 million in 2026.
“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” T M Roh instructed Reuters in his first interview since turning into Samsung Electronics co-CEO in November.
The plan by the world’s largest backer of Google’s Android cell platform is about to present a significant enhance to its developer Google, which is locked in a race with OpenAI and others to draw extra client customers to their AI mannequin.
Samsung seeks to reclaim its misplaced crown from Apple within the smartphone market and fend off competitors from Chinese rivals not solely in cell telephones, however televisions and residential home equipment, all overseen by Roh.
It will provide built-in AI providers throughout client merchandise to widen its lead over Apple in such options, although the latter was set to be the highest smartphone maker final yr, in accordance with market researcher Counterpoint.
AI RACE
Alphabet’s Google launched the most recent model of Gemini in November, highlighting Gemini 3’s lead on a number of common business measures of AI mannequin efficiency.
In response to Gemini 3, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly issued an inner “code red,” pausing non-core tasks and redirecting groups to speed up improvement. The ChatGPT maker launched its GPT-5.2 AI mannequin a few weeks later.
Roh expects the adoption of AI to speed up, as Samsung’s surveys on consciousness of its Galaxy AI model jumped to a stage of 80 per cent from about 30 per cent in only one yr.
“Even though the AI technology might seem a bit doubtful right now, within six months to a year, these technologies will become more widespread,” he mentioned.
While search is probably the most used AI function on telephones, customers additionally continuously use a variety of generative AI modifying and productiveness instruments for pictures and others, in addition to translation and abstract options, he mentioned.
Galaxy AI is Samsung’s time period for its suite of AI options, together with these powered by each Google’s Gemini mannequin and Samsung’s personal Bixby for various duties.
Samsung shares ended up 7.5 per cent on Monday, as the corporate is about to flag a revenue soar for the fourth quarter later this week, fueled by a worldwide chip scarcity.
“NOT IMMUNE” TO MEMORY CHIP SHORTAGE
A world scarcity of reminiscence chips is a boon to Samsung’s mainstay semiconductor enterprise, however pressures margins on the smartphone enterprise, its second largest income supply.
“As this situation is unprecedented, no company is immune to its impact,” Roh mentioned, including that the disaster impacts not solely cellphones however different client electronics, from TVs to residence home equipment.
He didn’t rule out elevating product costs, saying some impression was “inevitable” from a surge in reminiscence chip costs, however Samsung, the world’s No 1 TV maker, is working with companions on long term methods to minimise the impression.
Market researchers similar to IDC and Counterpoint predict the worldwide smartphone market will shrink subsequent yr, because the reminiscence chip scarcity threatens to drive up telephone costs.
Roh mentioned the marketplace for foldable telephones that Samsung pioneered in 2019 has been rising slower than anticipated.
He attributed this to the engineering complexities and lack of functions appropriate for the {hardware} design, however anticipated the section to go mainstream within the subsequent two or three years.
A “very high” fee of foldable telephone customers decide for a similar section for his or her subsequent buy, he mentioned, however gave no particulars.
Samsung managed almost two-thirds of the foldable smartphone market within the third quarter of 2025, in accordance with Counterpoint.
But it faces competitors from Chinese corporations similar to Huawei, in addition to Apple, which is predicted to launch its first foldable telephone this yr.