Samsung to double Gemini-powered mobile devices to 800 million, accelerating global AI push

Samsung Electronics is preparing a major expansion of artificial intelligence across its consumer ecosystem, with plans to double the number of mobile devices powered by Google’s Gemini AI to 800 million units by 2026. The strategy signals an aggressive push to regain momentum in the smartphone market and reshape how consumers interact with everyday devices.

Speaking in Seoul, Samsung co-CEO T M Roh said the company is moving quickly to embed AI across all products, functions and services, turning Galaxy AI into a core pillar of Samsung’s future growth.

Why this expansion matters now

The global tech industry is entering a decisive phase in the AI race. With Apple, Google and OpenAI competing for consumer dominance, Samsung’s scale gives it a unique advantage.

Samsung had already rolled out Gemini-backed AI features on around 400 million devices by the end of last year. Doubling that footprint in just one year would make Samsung the world’s largest distributor of consumer-facing AI features.

For users, this means AI tools will become standard rather than premium add-ons, affecting how people search, edit photos, translate languages and manage daily tasks on their devices.

Google gets a major boost

Samsung is the largest hardware partner of Google’s Android ecosystem, and the expansion significantly strengthens Google’s Gemini platform.

Google launched Gemini 3 in November, claiming leadership on several industry benchmarks. The move intensified competition, prompting OpenAI to accelerate development, leading to the release of GPT-5.2 weeks later.

By embedding Gemini deeply into Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung is effectively helping Google scale its AI directly into consumers’ hands, a key battleground in the AI economy.

Samsung’s broader strategy against Apple and China

Samsung is targeting more than just smartphones. Roh oversees mobile phones, televisions and home appliances, and confirmed that integrated AI services will connect devices across homes.

The goal is to widen Samsung’s lead over Apple in on-device AI, even as Apple is expected to top global smartphone shipments this year, according to Counterpoint Research.

Samsung is also defending its position against Chinese manufacturers, which are rapidly advancing in both pricing and hardware innovation.

Consumer awareness of Galaxy AI surges

Samsung’s internal surveys show Galaxy AI brand awareness jumped to 80%, up from about 30% a year earlier. Roh said adoption is likely to accelerate rapidly as users become more comfortable with generative AI tools.

Search remains the most-used AI feature, but Samsung sees growing demand for image editing, productivity tools, translation and summarisation, especially among younger users.

Memory chip shortage creates pressure

Samsung’s optimism on AI comes amid challenges. A global memory chip shortage is boosting its semiconductor profits but squeezing margins on smartphones and consumer electronics.

Roh acknowledged that no company is immune to the impact and said some price pressure is unavoidable. However, Samsung is working with partners on longer-term strategies to soften the blow for consumers.

Market researchers including IDC and Counterpoint expect the global smartphone market to shrink next year, partly due to higher component costs.

Foldable phones face slower adoption

Samsung also addressed its foldable phone segment, which it pioneered in 2019. Growth has been slower than expected, largely due to engineering complexity and limited app optimisation.

Still, Samsung controls nearly two-thirds of the global foldable market as of the third quarter of 2025. Roh said user loyalty is high and expects foldables to become mainstream within two to three years, even as competition from Huawei and Apple intensifies.