Samsung Electronics plans to double the number of its mobile devices featuring AI capabilities driven by Google’s Gemini platform, according to co-CEO T. M. Roh. The company had already deployed Gemini-based AI tools across roughly 400 million products, including smartphones and tablets, by last year, and now aims to increase that figure to 800 million units by 2026.

In his first interview since becoming co-CEO in November, Roh told Reuters that Samsung intends to integrate artificial intelligence into all products, services, and functions as quickly as possible. As the world’s largest supporter of Google’s Android ecosystem, Samsung’s expansion strategy is expected to significantly strengthen Google’s position in the intensifying global competition for AI users, where it faces strong challenges from OpenAI and others.

Samsung is also working to regain leadership in the smartphone market from Apple while competing with Chinese manufacturers not only in mobile phones but also in televisions and home appliances. The company plans to offer seamless AI services across its consumer products, further extending its lead over Apple in AI functionality, although Apple remained the top smartphone seller last year according to Counterpoint.

Google released the latest version of its Gemini model in November, emphasizing Gemini 3’s strong performance across major industry benchmarks. In response, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly initiated an internal “code red,” halting non-essential projects and accelerating development, which led to the release of GPT-5.2 shortly afterward. Roh expects rapid growth in AI adoption, noting that awareness of Samsung’s Galaxy AI brand rose sharply from 30% to 80% within a year. He believes that AI technologies, though still met with some skepticism, will become mainstream within the next 6 to 12 months. Users currently rely most on AI for search, but they increasingly use generative tools for image editing, productivity, translation, and content summarization.

While the global memory chip shortage benefits Samsung’s semiconductor division, it is squeezing margins in its smartphone business. Roh said the situation is unprecedented and affects all consumer electronics categories, including televisions and home appliances. Although he did not rule out price increases due to rising memory costs, Samsung is working with partners to reduce long-term impacts.

Market analysts from IDC and Counterpoint forecast that the global smartphone market may contract next year as higher component costs push up prices. Roh also acknowledged that the foldable phone segment—pioneered by Samsung in 2019—has grown more slowly than expected, largely due to technical challenges and limited software optimization. However, he expects foldable devices to become mainstream within the next two to three years. Despite increasing competition from Chinese firms such as Huawei and Apple’s anticipated entry into the foldable market this year, Samsung retained nearly two-thirds of global foldable smartphone market share in the third quarter of 2025, according to Counterpoint.