Samsung Electronics has announced ambitious plans to significantly expand the reach of its artificial intelligence-powered mobile devices, as competition in the global AI and smartphone markets continues to intensify.
The South Korean technology giant says it plans to double the number of its mobile devices equipped with “Galaxy AI” features this year, largely powered by Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence model. The move is expected to strengthen Samsung’s competitive edge against rivals and reinforce its position at the centre of the rapidly evolving AI ecosystem.
Speaking to Reuters in his first interview since becoming co-CEO of in November, T. M. Roh revealed that the company aims to increase the number of Galaxy AI-enabled devices from about 400 million to 800 million by 2026.
“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” Roh said, signalling a broad strategy that goes beyond smartphones and tablets to include televisions, home appliances and other consumer electronics.
Samsung is the world’s largest backer of the Android mobile platform, which is developed by . Its aggressive expansion of Galaxy AI is therefore expected to deliver a major boost to Google’s Gemini model at a time when the global battle for consumer-facing AI dominance is heating up.
A boost for Google amid fierce AI competition
The partnership places Google in a stronger position as it competes with and other major players to attract users to their AI models. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, unveiled the latest version of Gemini in November, highlighting Gemini 3’s strong performance across several industry benchmarks.
The launch reportedly triggered intense competition across the sector. In response to Gemini 3, OpenAI CEO was said to have issued an internal “code red,” pausing non-core projects and accelerating development efforts. OpenAI subsequently rolled out its GPT-5.2 model just weeks later, underscoring the pace of innovation in the AI race.
Roh believes the adoption of AI among consumers will accelerate rapidly. According to Samsung’s internal surveys, awareness of its Galaxy AI brand jumped from around 30% to about 80% in just one year.
“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.
Integrated AI to widen gap with Apple
Samsung’s push into integrated AI services is also part of a broader strategy to reclaim ground lost to in the global smartphone market. While Apple was expected to be the world’s top smartphone maker last year, according to market researcher , Samsung believes its early and aggressive embrace of AI can set it apart.
Roh explained that while AI-powered search remains the most widely used feature on smartphones, consumers are increasingly turning to generative AI tools for image editing, productivity tasks, translations and content summarisation.
Galaxy AI is Samsung’s umbrella term for its suite of AI features, which combine Google’s Gemini model with Samsung’s own Bixby assistant, depending on the task. The company says this hybrid approach allows it to optimise performance across a wide range of use cases.
Investors appear optimistic about the strategy. Samsung shares closed up 7.5% on Monday, ahead of the company’s expected announcement of a strong fourth-quarter profit, driven largely by its semiconductor business.
Chip shortage brings both gains and risks
However, Roh cautioned that Samsung is not immune to broader industry challenges, particularly a global shortage of memory chips. While the shortage has boosted profits in Samsung’s semiconductor division, it has also placed pressure on margins in the smartphone business, which remains the company’s second-largest source of revenue.
“As this situation is unprecedented, no company is immune to its impact,” Roh said, noting that the shortage affects not only mobile phones but also televisions and home appliances.
He did not rule out potential price increases, saying some impact was “inevitable” due to rising memory chip costs. Nevertheless, Samsung says it is working closely with partners on long-term strategies to minimise the impact on consumers.
Market analysts at and Counterpoint have warned that the global smartphone market could shrink next year if higher component costs lead to increased device prices.
Foldables: slower growth, long-term promise
Roh also addressed the performance of foldable smartphones, a category Samsung pioneered in 2019. While adoption has been slower than initially expected, he remains confident about the segment’s long-term prospects.
He attributed the slower uptake to engineering complexities and a shortage of applications optimised for foldable designs. However, he expects foldable phones to go mainstream within the next two to three years.
According to Counterpoint, Samsung controlled nearly two-thirds of the global foldable smartphone market in the third quarter of 2025. Even so, competition is intensifying, particularly from Chinese manufacturers such as , as well as Apple, which is widely expected to launch its first foldable device later this year.
Roh noted that customer loyalty within the foldable segment remains strong, with a “very high” proportion of users choosing another foldable device for their next purchase.
Looking ahead
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly central to consumer technology, Samsung’s strategy of embedding AI across its entire product ecosystem could prove decisive. By combining scale, early adoption and close collaboration with Google, the company hopes to set the pace in a market where innovation cycles are shortening and competition is relentless.
For Samsung, the race is not just about smarter smartphones, but about defining how AI integrates into everyday life across screens, homes and services worldwide.
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Published by Africa Live News.
