Samsung Electronics plans to double the number of its Samsung AI devices in 2026 by expanding Google’s Gemini-powered features across its mobile lineup. Co-CEO T M Roh announced the goal in his first major interview since taking the role in November.
Last year, Samsung rolled out Gemini-backed AI to about 400 million smartphones and tablets. This year, it aims to reach 800 million. “We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” Roh said.
This move gives Google a significant boost in its race against OpenAI and others. As the world’s top Android partner, Samsung’s scale can rapidly accelerate consumer adoption of Gemini. In fact, awareness of Samsung’s Galaxy AI brand jumped from 30% to 80% in just one year, according to internal surveys.
Moreover, Samsung sees AI as key to regaining ground from Apple in smartphones—and staying ahead of Chinese rivals in TVs and home appliances. The company plans to offer integrated AI services across all consumer products. This strategy could widen its lead in AI features, even though Apple remained the top smartphone seller in 2025.
Generative AI tools are already popular with users. While search is the most-used AI function, people also frequently use image editing, translation, summarization, and productivity features. Roh believes these technologies will become mainstream within six to twelve months—even if they seem uncertain today.
However, Samsung is not immune to supply chain pressures. A global memory chip shortage is raising costs across consumer electronics. Although the shortage benefits Samsung’s semiconductor business, it squeezes margins in its smartphone division—the company’s second-largest revenue source.
“As this situation is unprecedented, no company is immune to its impact,” Roh noted. The issue affects everything from phones to refrigerators. Samsung may raise some product prices, as the surge in chip costs makes some impact “inevitable.” Still, the company is working with partners on long-term strategies to reduce the strain.
Meanwhile, the foldable phone market is growing slower than expected. Samsung pioneered the category in 2019 and still holds nearly two-thirds of the segment. Yet adoption remains limited due to engineering complexity and a lack of apps optimized for foldable screens.
That said, Roh remains optimistic. He pointed out that a “very high” share of foldable users buy another foldable as their next phone. He expects the category to go mainstream within two to three years—especially as Apple prepares to launch its first foldable device in 2026.
In summary, Samsung is betting big on Samsung AI devices to drive its next phase of growth. By embedding Google’s Gemini deeply into its ecosystem, it aims to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive and chip-constrained market.
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