Samsung is Bringing Galaxy AI Features to 800 Million Devices in 2026
In Focus
- Samsung will integrate AI features into 400 million additional devices this year
- The move could help the company reclaim smartphone leadership from Apple
- Samsung’s smartphone business may be affected by the memory chip shortage
Samsung Electronics says it will double the number of mobile devices with Galaxy AI features in 2026. The company relies on Google’s Gemini to power its AI features. According to Reuters, the move is expected to give the South Korean tech firm an edge over competitors like Apple as the AI race intensifies.
Samsung Plans to Apply AI to All Products
By the end of 2025, Samsung Electronics had integrated AI features in about 400 million mobile devices, including tablets and smartphones. The tech giant plans to push this figure to 800 million by the end of this year.
“We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible,” Samsung Electronics co-CEO TM Roh said in an interview with Reuters.
Samsung’s smartphone AI adoption strategy is expected to help the company reclaim its leadership in the smartphone market from Apple and wade off competition from Chinese firms. The South Korean firm plans to integrate AI services across its consumer products to expand its lead over Apple.
Samsung plans to double AI mobile devices in 2026, days after the U.S. government allowed it to export chip making equipment to its factories in China in 2026. China remains an important production base for the company.
Samsung Expects AI Adoption to Rise
News of Samsung AI devices comes as the tech company expects adoption of artificial intelligence features to rise. Surveys conducted by the company show that awareness of its Galaxy AI brand increased to 80% from about 30% within a 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,” Roh noted in the Reuters interview.
Galaxy AI includes features powered by the Gemini AI model and Samsung’s Bixby. Recently, Samsung integrated Perplexity AI into the Bixby smart assistant to improve responses to complex queries.
The Galaxy AI feature expansion will boost Google’s efforts to expand its user base. Currently, the company is facing fierce competition from AI labs like OpenAI. Last year, the U.S. search giant started monetizing its AI investment by integrating Gemini consumer products like Google TV, Smart Home Speaker, and Nest Devices.
The Chip Shortage Challenge
Samsung’s semiconductor business is set to benefit from the global memory chip shortage. But the shortage could also lower profit margins in its smartphone business, which currently is its second-largest revenue earner.
Manufacturers globally might experience revenue drops after Counterpoint Research projected a 2.1% drop in smartphone shipments in 2026 due to the AI chip shortage. According to Samsung, the memory chip shortage also affects other consumer electronic products, including TVs and home appliances.
The chip shortage challenge is expected to increase product prices. The South Korean company, which is the world’s leading TV manufacturer, said it is collaborating with partners to identify a long-term solution to minimize the impact of the AI chip shortage.
