At CES 2026, Samsung Electronics laid out an aggressive roadmap to embed artificial intelligence into the core of its consumer ecosystem. The company's co-CEO and mobile chief, TM Roh, announced plans to double the number of mobile devices powered by Google's Gemini AI this year, targeting a staggering 800 million units. This ambitious expansion comes as Samsung seeks to solidify its "Galaxy AI" brand and fend off competition, but it faces a significant headwind from a global memory chip shortage that threatens to drive up consumer electronics prices.
Samsung's Massive AI Scale-Up Targets 800 Million Mobile Devices
Samsung is embarking on a massive technological push, aiming to bring Google's Gemini AI to approximately 800 million smartphones and tablets by the end of 2026. This represents a doubling of its current footprint, which stood at around 400 million devices at the close of 2025. The strategy, part of a broader vision TM Roh calls "Connect Future," is designed to make AI a ubiquitous feature across Samsung's product portfolio. The goal is not just to add AI to flagship phones but to integrate it into devices across all categories and price points, making advanced features like real-time translation, generative photo editing, and contextual search accessible to a much wider audience.
Samsung's 2026 AI Device Targets:
- Mobile Devices with Gemini AI: Target of 800 million by end of 2026 (double the 400 million from end of 2025).
- Total AI-Powered Home Devices: Target of 1 billion within the next three years (by ~2029).
Beyond Phones: The "AI Home" and Ambient Computing Vision
Samsung's AI ambitions extend far beyond the pocket. The company is actively promoting its "AI Home" project, with a target of having one billion AI-powered devices in homes globally within the next three years. A key component of this vision is "Ambient AI," a system designed to learn user habits and automatically adjust home environments—managing temperature, lighting, and other settings proactively. At CES, Samsung demonstrated this interconnected future with its Vision AI Companion for smart TVs. This feature allows users to, for example, see a dish on a cooking show, ask the TV for the recipe, and have the instructions sent directly to a connected smart oven or display, creating a seamless, voice-and-vision-controlled kitchen ecosystem.
Soaring Brand Recognition and the Core AI Partnership
The push for AI integration appears to be resonating with consumers. According to Samsung's internal data, awareness of the "Galaxy AI" brand has skyrocketed from about 30% to 80% in just one year. This rapid growth underscores the marketing success of features like Circle to Search and generative edit tools. The partnership with Google is mutually beneficial; while Samsung gains a powerful, cutting-edge AI model to power its features, Google's Gemini receives an unprecedented distribution scale, embedding its technology into hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. This alliance is central to Samsung's strategy to compete with Apple's integrated ecosystem and the value-focused offerings from Chinese manufacturers.
Galaxy AI Brand Awareness Growth:
- Early 2025: Approximately 30%
- Early 2026: Approximately 80%
The Looming Challenge: Global Chip Shortage and Rising Costs
Despite the bold technological vision, a significant economic challenge clouds Samsung's 2026 outlook. A severe global shortage of memory chips, driven insatiably by demand from AI data centers, is putting immense cost pressure on the entire electronics supply chain. While this shortage is profitable for Samsung's semiconductor division, it makes manufacturing its own finished goods—like phones and appliances—more expensive. TM Roh acknowledged that no company is "immune" to these rising costs. Market analysts predict the situation could lead to smartphone price increases of 5% to 20% in 2026. Some manufacturers may even be forced to reduce hardware specifications, such as the amount of RAM in a device, in an attempt to keep retail prices stable for consumers.
Reported Market Impact of Memory Chip Shortage:
- Predicted Smartphone Price Increase for 2026: 5% to 20%
- Potential Manufacturer Response: Reduction of hardware specs (e.g., RAM) to manage costs.
The Road Ahead: Invisible AI and an Inevitable Price Shift
Looking forward, Samsung executives believe AI will become more "invisible" and deeply integrated into daily life within the next six to twelve months. The focus will shift from standalone features to a continuous, contextual assistant that works seamlessly across devices. However, the industry-wide chip shortage presents a stark counterpoint to this story of innovation. The coming year may therefore be defined by a dual narrative: remarkable advances in AI capability and accessibility, coupled with the inevitable pass-through of higher component costs to consumers. Samsung's success will depend on its ability to navigate this tension, convincing users that the value of its AI-enhanced ecosystem justifies a potentially higher price tag.