Driving down the cost of AI in a world that embraces it

After decompressing from Samsung Unpacked that was held two weeks ago in London, I have some observations – and conclusions about the 2026 shift in consumer electronics, specifically for high-end phones. To hold Unpacked in London, during the 10th year of Brexit in the middle of a RAM supply chain crisis is quite poetic. More than specs and hype, I am reminded that there are bigger things afoot: an unprecedented price increase across the board for AI-enabled devices, the rapid adoption of these devices, and an economy that is either living inside an AI bubble or a new normal.

I processed some of these thoughts at the last round table discussion with Samsung executives including SEA and Oceana President CEO CU Kim and EVP of the Mobile R&D Division Won-Joon Park. Their answers to several questions about AI models, affordability, and balancing hardware with software were quite interesting.

According to them, regional AI adoption has skyrocketed over the past year, with active usage growing from basic educational curiosity to 96% of device users. Consumers are integrating AI tools like Circle to Search, Note Assist, and Photo Assist directly into their daily workflows.In addition, they said that Samsung’s core strategy in this region is built upon a fundamental philosophy: mobile technology should seamlessly adapt to human lives rather than forcing consumers to adapt to the technology. By pairing hyper-localized software, diverse hardware form factors, and most important – a democratization strategy that drives down ownership costs, the company is establishing a blueprint for AI accessibility in a highly competitive market.

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Customized AI per region

To succeed in a diverse region, a generic global AI model is insufficient. This is why Samsung operates three dedicated Research and Development centers across Southeast Asia and Oceania, actively tailoring Galaxy AI to local nuances. Globally supporting twenty-two languages, the platform places an immense focus on regional languages such as Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Lowering the total cost of ownership

Second, Samsung offers an industry-leading seven years of software and security updates, maximizing device longevity and reducing the frequency with which consumers need to upgrade their phones. This is why when a new generation of devices are released, Samsung also includes the previous generation (in this case the 7-series) for added affordability options. There is that assumption that a flagship Samsung phone user will keep a phone for more than half a decade.Third, the larger form factors, such as the Fold, enable high-productivity users and enterprises to consolidate devices. Instead of purchasing both a traditional smartphone and a tablet, a single foldable device successfully meets both needs.

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Lastly, Samsung partners with local banks, has aggressive trade-in promotions, and maintains active circulation of previous-generation flagships like the S25 and S25 FE to provide diverse financial entry points into the ecosystem.

Samsung is the Google flag-bearer

Samsung positions the Galaxy platform as an open, collaborative framework. Through a deep, OS-level partnership with Google, Samsung co-builds platform-level AI capabilities. This gives Galaxy devices a unique, first-mover advantage when integrating Android’s latest system updates. The platform is designed to host multiple partner agents, allowing users to seamlessly transition between Bixby for on-device controls, Google Gemini for system-level task management, and Perplexity for advanced research and search discovery.As these capabilities expand, Samsung maintains a strict companion philosophy: AI is designed to assist humans, not replace them. Under this “agentic AI” framework, the system relies on proactive context-aware suggestions, but the human always retains final agency and can intervene or override actions at any point. To ensure this experience remains safe and transparent, privacy guardrails are enforced at both the hardware and software levels through Knox security. To prevent misleading consumers, Samsung collaborates with industry consortiums like the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity to embed clear watermarks in all AI-generated content.

By combining deep local personalization, flexible purchasing programs, and a collaborative, open-platform philosophy, Samsung is successfully transforming mobile AI from an elite luxury into an indispensable, secure, and accessible tool for daily life.