Samsung Leverages Google’s Gemini to Scale AI Presence Across 800 Million Units

Samsung Electronics intends to significantly expand its integration of artificial intelligence by doubling the number of mobile devices equipped with Google’s Gemini technology to 800 million units in 2026. This target follows the successful implementation of Gemini-supported features across 400 million products, including tablets and smartphones, by the previous year. T.M. Roh, the recently appointed co-CEO of Samsung Electronics, stated that the corporation aims to embed AI across its entire portfolio of products and services with maximum urgency. This initiative provides a substantial advantage to Google as it competes with entities like OpenAI to secure a dominant position in the consumer AI sector.

This strategic pivot is central to Samsung’s effort to regain market leadership from Apple and counter rising pressure from Chinese manufacturers across the mobile, television, and home appliance sectors. By offering a unified AI ecosystem, Samsung hopes to differentiate itself from competitors, particularly as the industry evolves following the release of Gemini 3 and OpenAI’s subsequent launch of GPT-5.2. Internal data suggests consumer receptivity is high, with awareness of the Galaxy AI brand reportedly increasing from 30% to 80% within a single year. Roh anticipates that while some skepticism toward AI persists, the technology will reach mass-market ubiquity within the next twelve months, primarily through enhancements in search, image editing, and productivity tools.

Despite these advancements, the company faces logistical hurdles due to an unprecedented global shortage of memory chips. While this scarcity benefits Samsung’s semiconductor division, it creates significant margin pressure for its consumer electronics and mobile departments. Roh noted that price increases for end-users may be unavoidable due to rising component costs, though the company is collaborating with partners to mitigate the impact. Market analysts from IDC and Counterpoint have suggested that these rising costs could lead to a contraction in the global smartphone market in the coming year.

Furthermore, Samsung is navigating a maturing market for foldable devices, a segment it pioneered in 2019. While growth in this category has been more gradual than initially projected due to hardware complexities and a lack of specialized software, Roh believes foldables will become mainstream within the next two to three years. Despite increasing competition from Huawei and the anticipated entry of Apple into the foldable market, Samsung maintains a dominant position, controlling approximately two-thirds of the segment as of late 2025. The company remains optimistic about long-term retention, noting high loyalty rates among current foldable device users.