Samsung is the first major smartphone vendor to launch a flagship phone with AI at the core of its marketing efforts. Last year’s Galaxy S24 series introduced the Galaxy AI suite of features. Samsung followed up with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, which got additional AI capabilities. Samsung later extended Galaxy AI support to older flagship devices. And in a few weeks, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S25 series, which should introduce more Galaxy AI innovations.
But Samsung’s leadership is worse than its AI program in terms of Samsung’s global role in genAI. In their New Year’s speech, Samsung Electronics CEO and Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee and DS Division Vice Chairman Jeon Young-hyun talked about Galaxy AI, saying that Samsung should be the undisputed leader of AI devices this year.
“Now is the time for bold innovation that goes beyond existing methods of success because we are facing an inflection point in AI technology,” the executive said, according to a machine-translated Samsung release. “Let’s become the clear device AI leader this year through advanced intelligence.”
His goal of becoming the undisputed leader of AI is noble. Here’s what key executives are hoping for ahead of a busy year in which AI will continue to dominate the tech world. This can also be said by officials at other leading technology companies, as AI is a top priority today.
But Samsung is nowhere near the AI leader, and I don’t see that happening in 2025. The main problem with Samsung’s Galaxy AI approach is that it doesn’t have a useful model to power the genAI technology in phones like the Galaxy S24 and S25.
Galaxy AI is a blend of AI technologies. Google Circle to Search is a good example. In addition, the Galaxy S25 phone is rumored to come with free Google Gemini Advanced, the best version of Google Gemini AI.
I will also point out that Samsung’s upcoming XR device, Project Moohan and the unnamed AR smart glasses, will work on Google’s Android XR platform, with Gemini playing a key role. I expect Galaxy AI to be part of the picture for both types of products because Samsung can’t do its own AI.
Samsung has no alternative to ChatGPT or Gemini. If they are working on upgrading Bixby and Gauss, matching this AI model will take a long time.
Also, Samsung has no desktop presence. ChatGPT is my main AI tool now, and I use it across devices. Most of the time, I access it on my Mac instead of my cell phone.
OpenAI and Google have better models. Meta, Claude, and Microsoft also have more advanced AI tools than Samsung. Apple is working on Siri LLM which will act like ChatGPT and has integrated ChatGPT into Apple Intelligence on the iPhone.
As for AI on devices, Samsung may be the first to push AI on mobile devices with Galaxy AI, but it’s not the only one. Google does it with Pixel phones and Android in general. Apple presented a better vision of AI in devices with Apple Intelligence this year, which Samsung can’t seem to match.
Apple Intelligence may be behind the Galaxy AI and other competitors, but Apple has a rival it can’t match: the base of devices that can use Apple Intelligence, and the list is growing fast. Once Apple Intelligence matures, Apple can become the undisputed leader in device AI.
Speaking of Apple’s AI vision, Samsung has yet to match what Apple wants with the iPhone. It’s not just about summarizing text and notifications, creating text, creating wallpapers, editing photos, and translating. About Siri becomes a more useful assistant by accessing contextual information on the device about the user.
Apple has a plan, at least; one that Samsung can follow. Samsung’s Galaxy AI teaser during the Fold 6 and Flip 6 launch event shows that the company is working on the same vision. But Samsung is waiting for Apple Intelligence to reveal it before revealing its own plans.
I will also point out that Apple Intelligence is designed to offer AI features on devices and better privacy for cloud-based AI than Galaxy AI. Turn off Galaxy AI on your current phone, and you’ll lose a lot of useful features. Samsung has yet to match Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, a private cloud-based AI system.
My point is that it will take years for any company to become the undisputed leader in AI tools. If that happens. And it’s still too early for Samsung to call the shots, especially since it’s so dependent on partners like Google.
Also, let’s say Samsung executives just want the company to sell a lot of products that can run third-party AI programs on the Galaxy AI. In that case, that still doesn’t qualify as the undisputed leader of AI devices.
