How can Samsung’s plan to ship 800 million AI-enabled devices a year reshape the global smartphone race and intensify competition with Apple and Google?
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| Samsung’s aggressive AI expansion highlights how intelligence, not hardware alone, is becoming the key battleground in global consumer technology. Image: CH |
Seoul, South Korea — January 9, 2026:
Samsung’s plan to deploy artificial intelligence across roughly 800 million devices a year marks a decisive escalation in the global technology race, signalling that AI—not hardware specifications alone—is now central to competition in smartphones and beyond.
The South Korean electronics giant says it will double the number of mobile devices running Google’s Gemini AI technology, up from about 400 million smartphones and tablets last year. By 2026, that figure is expected to reach 800 million units, reflecting Samsung’s ambition to make AI a default feature across its product lineup rather than a premium differentiator.
For TM Roh, Samsung’s newly appointed co-chief executive, the strategy is both expansive and urgent. In his first media interview since taking on the role, Roh said the company aims to integrate AI into all Samsung products, features and services as quickly as possible. That includes not only smartphones and tablets, but also televisions and home appliances—areas where Samsung already commands significant global market share.
The move carries strategic weight for Google as well. As the world’s largest Android device maker, Samsung plays a critical role in shaping which AI platforms reach consumers at scale. By embedding Gemini across hundreds of millions of devices, Samsung strengthens Google’s position in an increasingly crowded AI field that includes rivals such as OpenAI. In effect, Samsung is acting as a force multiplier for Google’s AI ambitions.
The push also reflects competitive pressures in the smartphone market. Samsung once held the top spot in global smartphone shipments, but Apple has overtaken it in recent years. According to market research firm Counterpoint, Apple sold the most smartphones worldwide last year, leveraging a tightly controlled ecosystem and strong brand loyalty. Samsung’s answer appears to be speed and breadth—rolling out AI features faster and across more devices than its rivals.
Early signs suggest the message is reaching consumers. An internal Samsung survey found that awareness of its Galaxy AI branding rose sharply over the past year, from 30% to 80%. That surge indicates growing recognition, though it remains unclear whether awareness will translate into sustained demand or higher margins in a market known for thin profits and intense competition.
Yet the strategy is not without risk. A global memory chip crunch has benefited Samsung’s semiconductor arm but has increased costs for its smartphone division. Roh described the situation as unprecedented, noting that no company is fully shielded from its impact. While Samsung has not committed to price increases, the possibility remains—a sensitive issue at a time when consumers are increasingly price-conscious.
There is also uncertainty around how quickly users will adopt AI features in daily life. Roh acknowledged lingering questions about consumer behaviour but predicted that AI usage would become significantly more widespread within the next six months to a year. That confidence underpins Samsung’s scale-first approach, but widespread adoption will depend on whether AI tools prove genuinely useful beyond novelty.
Ultimately, Samsung’s 800-million-device AI push reflects a broader shift in the technology industry. As hardware innovation matures, intelligence, personalization and ecosystem integration are emerging as the next battlegrounds. By betting heavily on AI and aligning closely with Google, Samsung is not only trying to reclaim lost ground from Apple—it is seeking to redefine what consumers expect from the devices that dominate their digital lives.