Samsung Bets Big on AI, Plans 800M Gemini-Powered Devices in 2026

On your marks, get ready, and try to keep up. 

This is the message Samsung Electronics is communicating to its competitors, as it bets big on AI at a rapid scale to solidify its leadership in AI-powered consumer hardware. 

The South Korean tech company announced plans to double the number of AI-enabled mobile devices it ships this year to 800 million units, which goes to show how quickly AI is becoming the next major battleground in consumer technology.

By the end of last year, Samsung had already rolled out its “Galaxy AI” features to about 400 million devices, spanning from smartphones to tablets. Those features are largely powered by Google’s Gemini AI model, with Samsung’s own Bixby assistant handling select tasks. Now, the company wants to take that figure to the next level, going above and beyond mobile phones.

“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” Samsung Electronics co-CEO T.M. Roh told Reuters in his first interview since taking the role in November. That push spans everything from mobile devices to TVs and home appliances, indicating that Samsung views AI as a foundational layer across its entire consumer ecosystem.

A big boost for Google and the AI arms race

As the world’s largest supporter of Google’s Android ecosystem, the company’s decision to rapidly expand Gemini-backed devices is a significant win for Alphabet, as Samsung is giving Alphabet a powerful distribution channel for Gemini. Of course, Google is one of several tech giants locked in an intense competition with OpenAI and other AI developers to attract everyday users. 

That said, embedding its models deeply into hundreds of millions of consumer devices could give it a leg up on the competition.

The timing is also an interesting factor in all of this, with Google launching the latest version of Gemini in November and showcasing Gemini 3’s strong performance across several industry benchmarks. 

The launch reportedly caused a scramble among competitors, prompting OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to issue an internal “code red” to redirect teams away from non-core projects and thereby accelerate development. But within just weeks, OpenAI had responded by launching its GPT-5.2 model, intensifying the competition in the already fierce AI arms race.

By aligning itself closely with Gemini (or, should I say, leaning heavily on Gemini), Samsung is effectively choosing sides. Galaxy AI, Samsung’s umbrella term for its AI features, blends Google’s generative AI capabilities with Samsung’s own software, allowing tasks to be split between cloud-based and on-device intelligence. The hybrid approach is meant to balance speed, capability, and privacy, all key concerns as AI becomes increasingly embedded in users’ personal devices.

Putting pressure on Apple

Looking at the situation from a competitive standpoint, it’s easy to see that Samsung’s AI expansion is a challenge aimed at reclaiming momentum from Apple. While Apple was expected to lead global smartphone shipments last year, it still lacks a fully integrated AI layer in iOS. Users looking for advanced AI features often rely on third-party apps from OpenAI or Google, while Apple continues to promise a more unified AI experience in future releases.

Samsung, on the other hand, sees this as an opportunity. Roh said that consumer awareness of Galaxy AI jumped from roughly 30% to 80% in just one year, suggesting that AI features are quickly becoming part of how people evaluate smartphones.

Right now, most users still rely on AI for relatively simple tasks, with search remaining the most common use case. But photo editing, translation, text summaries, and productivity tools are gaining traction. Roh believes that any lingering AI skepticism will fade quickly. “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 said.

Market changes and a foldable future

Samsung’s ambitious expansion comes amid a challenging time for the industry. A global shortage of memory chips has boosted profits for its semiconductor business, but it’s also increasing costs for smartphones, Samsung’s second-largest revenue stream. 

Roh acknowledged that no company is immune to the impact of this shortage and warned that higher prices across phones, TVs, and appliances may be inevitable. Market researchers such as IDC and Counterpoint expect the global smartphone market to shrink next year as rising prices curb demand.

Looking further ahead, Samsung continues to bet on foldable phones as having long-term growth potential. Adoption has been slower than expected due to engineering complexity and a shortage of apps optimized for foldable designs. Still, Roh believes the category could go mainstream within two to three years. Samsung controlled nearly two-thirds of the global foldable smartphone market in the third quarter of 2025, though competition from Huawei and a rumored Apple foldable device is intensifying.

For now, Samsung’s plan to ship 800 million AI-powered devices stands as one of the boldest bets yet on AI as the defining feature of next-generation consumer electronics. Whether it delivers lasting gains against Apple and Chinese rivals will depend on how quickly consumers come to view AI not just as an add-on but as an essential part of everyday digital life.

Also read: Google’s Gemini 2.5 voice upgrade highlights the kind of real-time voice and translation improvements Samsung is counting on as it scales Gemini-powered devices.

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