Samsung Aims For 800 Million AI Devices This Year
Synopsis
Samsung Electronics has revealed a bold ambition of growing its AI-enabled mobile devices to 800 million by the end of 2026. Using Google’s Gemini AI, the company says it wants to make smart technology an integral part of all its offerings as it seizes on a rising Apple. Samsung is pushing AI as something that can (and should) be a regular feature in every smartphone, tablet and home appliance, despite the global memory chip shortage likely to push up device prices including those with built-in smart services. The AI adoption will see an inflection point in the next few months, CEO T M Roh.
Breaking News: Samsung is doubling down on artificial intelligence. Samsung, the world’s largest producer of Android phones, announced on Monday, January 5, 2026, that it will have 800 million AI-equipped devices in operation by year-end. That’s a huge leap from the 400 million it had only last year.
AI for Everyone, Everywhere
T M Roh, co-CEO of Samsung, said in Seoul that the company aimed to embed AI into “all products, all functions and all services” as quickly as possible. These smart features are all made possible by Google’s “Gemini,” a powerful AI that helps with tasks like searching for information, tweaking photos, and translating between languages on the fly.
Samsung’s own research also indicates that people are getting up to speed with these new tools very rapidly. Just one year ago, only 30% of people were aware of “Galaxy AI.” Today, that figure has leapt to 80%. For months, there was confusion around AI (some people didn't understand it), the company said, but Samsung is confident that this time next year, these tools will be as ubiquitous as sending a text message.
The Fight for the Top Spot
All this great push into AI is happening because there’s more competition than ever. As of 12 months ago, Apple is finally predicted to sell more smartphones than Samsung for the first time in 14 years. By the numbers (Counterpoint Research data):
• Apple will ship 243 million iPhones (19.4% market share) by 2025.
• Samsung is expected to ship 235 million units (18.7 per cent of the market).
Samsung is also under pressure from Chinese competitors, such as Huawei and Xiaomi. By loading AI into every phone, both the pricy ones and budget models alike, Samsung is betting that it can reclaim its title as the world’s biggest phone maker.
Challenges: Chip Shortages and Prices Get a Lift
It is not all smooth sailing either. Memory chips, the “brains” of the phone, are scarce around the world. Good for Samsung’s chip business! Bad if you’re a company that needs to buy the chips in order to build phones.
T M Roh said that because parts were becoming more expensive, the company might have to increase prices for its phones. He also said that expandable phones (phones that are bendable, like a book) were growing a tad slower than the company had hoped, though they still claim 64% of that market.
What’s Next for Your Galaxy?
If you own a Samsung phone or tablet, get ready for lots of updates in the coming days. The company has outgrown the “testing” stage and is ready for AI to be ingrained in your daily life. Whether it’s digesting a long work email into bullet points or automatically fixing a blurry photo, Samsung is betting that being the “smartest” phone available will be enough to beat Apple and retain users.
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At Inspirepreneurs Magazine, covering entrepreneurship, business failures, and the human stories behind the world's most ambitious founders. She writes at the intersection of strategy and storytelling.
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