Samsung Electronics unveiled its most ambitious artificial intelligence strategy to date at CES 2026, with co-CEO TM Roh announcing plans to double the number of devices powered by Google's Gemini AI to 800 million units this year. The announcement positions Samsung to go head-to-head with Apple in the battle for AI supremacy in consumer electronics.

The 800 Million Device Target

"We will apply AI to all products, all functions, and all services as quickly as possible," Roh told Reuters at CES in Las Vegas. The company equipped approximately 400 million devices with Gemini AI capabilities in 2025, making the 2026 target a full doubling of its AI-enabled installed base.

Galaxy AI, Samsung's consumer-facing AI platform, blends capabilities from Google's Gemini model with Samsung's own Bixby assistant. The combination delivers features including generative text tools, real-time translation, content editing, voice interaction, and context-aware recommendations across the Galaxy ecosystem.

The aggressive rollout reflects Samsung's bet that AI will become the primary differentiator in consumer electronics—more important than camera quality, processor speed, or traditional hardware specifications that have defined smartphone competition for the past decade.

Beyond Smartphones: AI in Every Room

Perhaps more significant than the raw device numbers is Samsung's expansion of Gemini AI beyond mobile devices. The company demonstrated AI integration in televisions and home appliances at CES, including what it claims is the first refrigerator powered by Google Gemini.

The smart refrigerator can recognize food items, suggest recipes based on available ingredients, track expiration dates, and integrate with grocery delivery services—all through natural language interaction. While smart appliances have existed for years, Samsung argues that Gemini's conversational capabilities transform them from novelties into genuinely useful assistants.

"Your home should understand you, not the other way around," Roh said during the CES presentation. Samsung's exhibition hall at the Wynn and Encore Las Vegas spans 4,628 square meters—the largest in the industry—themed around "Your Companion to AI Living."

The Google Partnership Deepens

Samsung's Gemini strategy represents a significant deepening of its partnership with Google, which also provides the Android operating system for Galaxy devices. By embedding Google's most advanced AI model directly into hardware, Samsung gains capabilities that would be difficult to develop independently while Google expands its AI reach into billions of additional devices.

The partnership creates interesting competitive dynamics. Google's Pixel phones compete directly with Samsung's Galaxy devices, yet both benefit from the Gemini collaboration. Samsung gets world-class AI; Google gets massive distribution and real-world training data from hundreds of millions of users.

For Apple, which has developed its own AI capabilities in-house, the Samsung-Google alliance represents a formidable challenger. Apple's approach prioritizes privacy and on-device processing; Samsung and Google are betting that cloud-powered AI capabilities will prove more compelling to mainstream users.

Market Response

Samsung Electronics shares surged more than 7% on Monday in Seoul trading, reaching their highest level since October 2025. The rally reflected both the CES announcements and broader optimism about Samsung's semiconductor business, which benefits from insatiable demand for memory chips powering AI data centers.

The company's stock has recovered significantly from lows hit in mid-2025, when concerns about smartphone market saturation and memory chip oversupply pressured shares. The AI pivot—in both consumer devices and component manufacturing—has reinvigorated investor interest.

The Memory Chip Connection

Samsung's AI device strategy connects directly to its semiconductor business. The company is both the world's largest memory chip manufacturer and a major smartphone maker, creating vertical integration opportunities that competitors lack.

AI applications require substantial memory capacity for on-device processing. Samsung can optimize its devices around its own memory chips, potentially gaining performance and cost advantages. The company's recent breakthrough in HBM4 (High Bandwidth Memory) technology—critical for AI processing—further strengthens this competitive position.

Challenges Ahead

The 800 million device target is ambitious, and execution risks remain. Consumer adoption of AI features has been slower than some industry observers predicted, with many users treating AI assistants as novelties rather than essential tools. Samsung must demonstrate that Gemini-powered features deliver tangible daily value to justify the investment.

Privacy concerns also loom. Gemini's most powerful capabilities require cloud processing, meaning user data flows to Google's servers. In an era of increasing privacy awareness, Samsung must convince consumers that the convenience benefits outweigh data-sharing concerns.

Additionally, the global memory chip shortage—driven by AI data center demand—creates a paradox for Samsung. The shortage benefits its chip-making division but makes manufacturing phones and appliances more expensive. Managing this tension will require careful supply chain orchestration throughout 2026.

The AI Device Wars Begin

Samsung's CES announcement signals that 2026 will be the year AI moves from buzzword to baseline expectation in consumer electronics. With Apple, Google, and Samsung all racing to embed AI into everyday devices, consumers will soon face a choice not between smart and standard products, but between competing visions of AI-assisted living.

For Samsung, the 800 million device target represents more than a sales goal—it's a statement of intent. The company that once competed primarily on hardware specifications is now betting its future on software intelligence. Whether that bet pays off will shape consumer technology for years to come.