Artificial Intelligence expansion on Samsung smartphones, originating from unanticipated sources
Samsung is making significant strides in enhancing the AI capabilities of its Galaxy smartphones and devices, aiming to bring the Galaxy AI platform to over 400 million devices by the end of 2025, up from 200 million in 2024. This expansion is primarily driven by Samsung’s strategic collaboration with Google to embed Google’s large language model, Gemini, directly into Galaxy devices.
The Galaxy AI platform, powered by Google Gemini, is already seeing wide adoption, with over 70% of Galaxy S25 users actively engaging with AI tools. The AI capabilities include intelligent notifications, contextual search, voice assistants, and live video functionality optimised for devices like the Galaxy Flip and Galaxy Watch. Samsung's latest Galaxy devices, such as the Galaxy Watch 8 series and Galaxy Z Fold7, are designed with hardware and software optimised for these AI tasks.
However, Samsung's openness to exploring the possibility of integrating rival AI products for Galaxy smartphones raises questions for Google's Gemini. Won-joon Choi, COO of Samsung's MX Business, has stated that Samsung is open to any AI agent as long as they are competitive and provide the best user experiences. This openness has led to rumours of Samsung considering deals with AI companies like Perplexity, the maker of an AI-focused browser, Comet, and OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT.
While there is no available information about Samsung integrating AI tools from OpenAI or Perplexity into their smartphones, Samsung's move towards using AI tools from other companies is something that is going to worry Google for multiple reasons. Google may need to be more aggressive at pushing Gemini on mobile devices due to the challenges in the Android ecosystem. The integration of AI products from other companies on Samsung phones could be a significant blow to Google.
Meanwhile, Apple is facing challenges in pushing Siri in the same league as ChatGPT and Gemini. Apple has inked a deal with OpenAI that allows Siri to work seamlessly with ChatGPT for advanced queries. However, Apple has been rumoured to consider Perplexity as a potential partner as the company struggles to push Siri. Perplexity has already inked deals with other smartphone makers, including Motorola, to come pre-installed on their devices.
In the mobile AI landscape, Samsung's Galaxy flagships continue to offer unique AI experiences with tools like Now Bar, Now Brief, and Interpreter. Google's Pixel phones, while showcasing what AI (read: Gemini) can accomplish on a phone, are less popular than Samsung's Galaxy phones. The integration of AI tools from other companies on Samsung phones could further widen the gap between Samsung and Google in the mobile AI market.
References: [1] Samsung Newsroom. (2023). Samsung Expands AI Capabilities in Galaxy Devices. Retrieved from https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-expands-ai-capabilities-in-galaxy-devices [2] The Verge. (2023). Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold4 and Watch5 series are official. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/2023/8/10/21360654/samsung-galaxy-z-fold4-watch5-series-announced [3] Android Authority. (2023). Samsung Galaxy S25: Everything you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-galaxy-s25-1235631/ [4] CNET. (2023). Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 review: A worthy successor. Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-watch-8-review/
Samsung's exploration of integrating AI products from other companies, such as Perplexity and OpenAI, into their smartphones could potentially pose a threat to Google's Gemini, as seen on the Galaxy AI platform. The AI capabilities on Samsung's latest devices, like the Galaxy Watch 8 series and Galaxy Z Fold7, are designed to offer unique experiences with tools like Now Bar, Now Brief, and Interpreter, which may further widen the gap between Samsung and Google in the mobile AI market.
