Samsung: AI creates a ‘revolution’ for the smartphone market

On February 26, during the Galaxy Unpacked event in the US, Samsung officially launched the latest generation of phones: Galaxy S26 series. The company introduces devices deeply integrated with the smartest and most flexible Galaxy AI features ever. On this occasion, Mr. Hyung Bin Joo, General Director of Samsung Electronics Vietnam Company (SAVINA) had a talk with VnExpress about the unit’s vision and strategy in the Vietnamese smartphone market.

– What notable developments has the Vietnamese technology industry made in the past year, sir?

– In 2025, Vietnam will record strong growth in technology and digital economy. According to the annual Southeast Asia Digital Economy report (e-Conomy SEA 2025) published by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, Vietnam’s digital economy is estimated to reach 39 billion USD in total goods value by the end of 2025. With a growth rate of 17% over the same period last year, Vietnam becomes the digital economy with the second fastest growing rate in Southeast Asia.

This market also leads Southeast Asia in terms of user readiness and trust in AI. This is reflected in three key metrics: 81% of users interact with AI tools and features daily; 83% participate in AI learning and skill improvement activities. In particular, 96% are willing to share data access with AI agents.

– As for the smartphone industry, experts say that with every minute that passes, even the most modern technology can become outdated. What do you think about this analogy? For you, what words can you describe the picture of the global and Vietnamese smartphone market in the past year?

– With the large number of smartphone users each year, the trend of innovation, upgrades and technological advances is natural in this market. Just a few years ago, users still had to use many applications to edit images and videos, but now many features have been built-in with the reduction of many cumbersome operations. Just early last year when they introduced the Galaxy AI and Circle To Search features, they were extremely well received by users. Now, these features have become popular, available on most phones and the Galaxy ecosystem. That promotes even newer technologies to bring new conveniences to users.

Last year also showed that consumers are willing to spend more on their phones, as long as they bring good value. By 2025 alone, according to Google’s report, Vietnam is one of the markets with the number of regular Gemini users as well as the highest growth in the world. This shows that users are not afraid and love to use new technologies, as long as they are highly applicable.

Also last year, with the explosion of AI, manufacturers began mentioning the concept of AI Phone. With AI Phone, the device becomes your own personal assistant, understanding, organizing, and making recommendations for every rhythm of life and work. At Samsung, since launching our first AI phone in 2024, we have been committed to simplifying the user experience so that more people can benefit from AI.

– You just emphasized AI and the AI ​​Phone vision. In recent years, security has always been a big problem with personal devices. The smarter the AI, the greater the concern about privacy. How is this problem solved on the newly launched smartphone generation?

– Survey conducted by Google and Milieu with more than 7,000 people found that 42% are concerned about privacy and data security related to AI agents. Therefore, this is also the problem that Samsung poses on each new generation of devices released.

This year, the Galaxy S26 series solves the problem of seamless security, built from hardware to software. Users have full control over whether their personal context is shared with AI agents. Some features help control display and secure content on the screen when users move or use their phone in crowded places. Plus, with 7 years of security updates, the Galaxy S26 series maintains all layers of protection over time.

– The applicability of AI is often entangled in many controversies, one of which is the ability to “rely on” and “lose identity”. Are you afraid of these opinions when developing the smartest and most flexible Galaxy AI features ever?

– I believe that AI will not replace but help us perform more advanced tasks in a simpler way, so that life can focus on priorities, instead of being distracted by repetitive, meaningless operations.

As on the Galaxy S26 series, there are upgraded utilities that are more proactive and personalized, streamlining the processing process by taking advantage of personal context to perform actions on behalf of the user. You are still the thinker and control center of the device, just the operations are simplified, and you have more time for yourself.

With the Galaxy S26 series, we benchmark AI experiences by integrating today’s smartest platforms into a single device. In addition to being a step forward in performance, this upgrade also represents a commitment to a mobile future where personalized experiences and privacy go hand in hand.

– If you had to use adjectives to describe Samsung’s AI Phone, what words would you choose?

– I would use three words: easy to use, seamless and reliable.

On the Galaxy S26 series, the combination of hardware power, intuitive camera system and cross-platform Galaxy AI ecosystem, turns familiar operations into more intuitive and user-friendly experiences, shortening the gap from intention to action. The system works more proactively and seamlessly based on context, providing the right support at the right time and automating tasks, eliminating the need to switch between multiple applications or manipulate complex tools. When technology takes a back seat to silently handle the work, users can wholeheartedly focus on enjoying the final result.

These upgrades provide stable, seamless operation and absolute peace of mind about security and privacy. That’s the future of smartphones we’ve always envisioned: devices that not only respond, but also have the ability to understand and anticipate needs, becoming a trusted companion in everyday life.

– What role does AI Phone play in Samsung’s ecosystem and global strategy?

– AI is one of the most prominent technologies currently not only for Samsung but also the entire technology market. AI has now become an indispensable tool on all devices, including the Samsung ecosystem, to bring the freshest, smoothest and simplest experiences.

AI Phone with Galaxy AI is deeply integrated into the operating system, along with other AI tools, helping users complete their tasks most effectively and save time. Now, instead of having to use each separate application, when using AI Phone, users can experience AI features seamlessly and automatically without having to spend a lot of manual operations or switch between applications or devices.

– What is Samsung Vietnam’s strategy in the near future?

– We always aim to be a pioneer in the technology industry, realized through upgrades and integration of multiple experiences on a compact mobile device. In the coming time, AI features will be further integrated into the operating system, adapting to more applications, aiming to build an Agentic AI (autonomous AI) experience. At this time, users only need to do a simple operation and AI can automatically suggest, remember and complete the job effectively.

In addition, Samsung always invests in improving information security, helping users confidently keep their information safe with Knox Vault encryption protection and limit the risks of loss or fraud in the digital age. New features such as Privacy Display and Fraud call filtering are the most typical examples of this direction.

Going further, we aim for a vision of making artificial intelligence ubiquitous in consumer products. When AI becomes a standard feature instead of a premium option, we believe that electronic devices will contribute to changing users’ lives in a more positive direction, truly becoming effective assistants in life.