CES 2026
Home Appliances Meet AI to Become Your Companion: 'One Samsung' Vision Unveiled

[비즈한국] "The best AI experience should be a 'familiar companion' that integrates naturally into a user's daily routine and provides support whenever it's needed."

On the 4th (local time), two days before the opening of the world's largest home appliance and IT exhibition, 'CES 2026,' and on the first day of the Media Day. At the Samsung Electronics005930 conference for media and partners held at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, USA, TM Roh, President and Head of the DX (Device Experience) Division at Samsung Electronics, defined the direction of Samsung AI in this manner.

This event marked the global debut of President Roh leading the charge as the integrated head of the DX division. This year, Samsung Electronics made the bold decision to leave the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), a venue it has held for over 20 years, and set up the industry's largest standalone exhibition and conference hall at the Wynn Hotel. It reflects their determination to showcase the reality of 'AI Living' envisioned by Samsung's 'One Samsung' strategy in an immersive space rather than a noisy exhibition hall.

An Integrated AI Ecosystem Connecting 500 Million Devices

The winning move presented by Samsung Electronics at this conference is a seamless AI experience through 'One Samsung.' The strategy is to leverage a vast portfolio of approximately 500 million devices sold annually to secure unparalleled user understanding by combining the security of on-device AI with the performance of cloud AI.

President Roh stated, "We will internalize AI across all categories and all products to provide a single, integrated AI experience," adding, "We will unify device connectivity through SmartThings and expand One UI to TVs and home appliances to build a consistent interface throughout the home. "

In the display sector, AI has been elevated from a 'viewing tool' to an 'entertainment companion.' Yong Seok-woo, President of the Visual Display Business, highlighted the 'Vision AI Companion (VAC),' which surpassed a 25% adoption rate just three months after its launch last September, as the core element.

While many of the products unveiled on stage were not brand new, having been revealed by Samsung in bits and pieces recently, the 130-inch flagship 'Micro RGB' was different. Following the world's first release of a 115-inch Micro RGB TV last August, they introduced a larger version. This product uses an AI engine to precisely control RGB colors to achieve high-purity color reproduction. Through the VAC, it will act as an 'AI Hub' that suggests recipes reflecting the user's workout history or dietary preferences and sends them to kitchen appliances.

Can AI Relieve Chores and Even Manage Cognitive Health?

In the home appliance sector, the functions of a 'Home Companion' were detailed. In particular, the Family Hub refrigerator has been integrated with Google's Gemini, significantly enhancing the precision of food recognition, according to the presentation.

Kim Chul-ki, Executive Vice President of the Digital Appliances Business, emphasized, "All smart appliances launched after 2024 will be guaranteed up to 7 years of network updates, so even if the hardware remains the same, the experience will continue to evolve." Furthermore, through a partnership with the U.S.-based HSB, they are introducing a 'Smart Home Savings' program that lowers insurance premiums when using SmartThings-connected appliances, an attempt to extend the benefits of AI appliances to financial savings for the user.

In the healthcare field, the paradigm has shifted from reactive response to 'proactive care.' Sleep data collected by the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Ring are used by SmartThings to automatically adjust air conditioner temperatures and lighting to create an optimal sleeping environment. Praveen Raja, Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Research America, said, "Beyond simple diagnostics, we will provide features that identify early signs of cognitive changes through daily data analysis."

As this conference was a kickoff event before the official opening of CES, about 1,500 media and partners gathered. Samsung Electronics models, such as the idol group 'RIIZE' and actor Ahn Hyo-seop, also made appearances at the event. Consequently, the exit path became congested as the crowd surged all at once when leaving.

Meeting with reporters in front of the exhibition hall, President Roh said, "Samsung Electronics' Micro RGB TV products are outstanding," but emphasized, "What is more important than a single product is the connectivity that links everything and the AI experience as a life companion."