Samsung Targets 800M AI Devices as COO Declares AI Revolution Unavoidable

Samsung Electronics is positioning itself as the primary vehicle for the democratization of artificial intelligence. Following the launch of the Galaxy S26, Won-Joon Choi, COO of Samsung’s Mobile Experience Business, declared the AI revolution unavoidable, framing it as a shift more profound than the internet or mobile revolutions. This isn't just a marketing pivot; it's a massive infrastructure play. Samsung aims to have AI features integrated into 800 million devices by the end of 2026, doubling its 400-million-device footprint from the previous year. This scale suggests that Samsung is building the world’s largest distributed AI network, one that could fundamentally change how SaaS and cloud services are delivered to the edge.

The core of Samsung’s technical strategy is the Hybrid AI model. By combining on-device processing with cloud-based intelligence, Samsung is addressing the two biggest hurdles in the AI space: privacy and latency. For SaaS providers, this hybrid approach is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it provides a powerful hardware platform for sophisticated AI agents. On the other, it allows Samsung to control the user interface and the entry point for AI services. If a task can be handled on-device via Samsung’s own Galaxy AI or integrated partners like Google’s Gemini or Perplexity, the need for third-party cloud-based AI apps may diminish. This shift toward Agentic AI—where the device doesn't just provide information but performs complex workflows—is the next frontier for the mobile ecosystem.

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If a task can be handled on-device via Samsung’s own Galaxy AI or integrated partners like Google’s Gemini or Perplexity, the need for third-party cloud-based AI apps may diminish.

Choi’s vision extends far beyond the IT sector. He explicitly noted that AI will impact every area of human life, including medical, legal, and HR sectors. This suggests that Samsung is looking at its mobile devices not just as communication tools, but as professional workstations capable of handling sensitive, industry-specific tasks. In the legal sector, for instance, on-device AI could summarize confidential documents without them ever leaving the device, a major selling point for privacy-conscious professionals. In the medical field, real-time AI analysis of health data could provide immediate insights while maintaining strict data sovereignty. This expansion into regulated industries indicates that Samsung is preparing for a future where its hardware is the trusted substrate for professional AI applications.