Exclusive: Emily Choi on Samsung’s AI companion push

Samsung used CES 2026, the Consumer Electronics Show, to signal a shift away from feature-led artificial intelligence and towards systems designed to anticipate needs across its connected ecosystem, positioning AI as a background companion embedded in everyday products rather than a tool that requires constant instruction.

"At CES 2026, 'human' AI means moving beyond traditional command-and-response technology toward intelligence that understands context, intent, and everyday behaviour," said Emily Choi, President, Samsung Electronics NZ.

"Instead of users having to tell devices what to do, AI works proactively in the background to anticipate needs and reduce mental load."

"We demonstrated this through the expansion of AI Vision built with Google Gemini," said Choi. "In the kitchen, AI Vision enables broader ingredient recognition, smarter food tracking, and personalised meal planning via Samsung Food, turning the refrigerator into an active partner in daily decision-making."

"The same intelligence extends across laundry, garment care, and cleaning, where AI optimises cycles, shortens time, and minimises manual effort," said Choi. "Beyond convenience, Samsung is extending the value of the AI Home through SmartThings. Opt-in services reward safer, well-managed homes with tangible benefits, showing how AI can deliver real-world impact, not just smart features."

"Ultimately, human AI is about awareness," said Choi. "Using Vision AI and sensors, devices understand what's happening around you. Our Samsung TVs can recognise when you enter the room and suggest content based on context, while a robot vacuum can distinguish between a water spill and a coffee spill and respond appropriately. The technology adapts to people - not the other way around."

Trusted design

"Describing AI as a 'trusted companion' essentially changes how we design user experiences," said Choi. "Design is now led by Trust-by-Design. When AI is a companion, it must be predictable, transparent, and reliable - not intrusive."

"Beyond entertainment and the home, Samsung is applying AI to support wellbeing, safety, and peace of mind across life's key moments," said Choi. "Connected Galaxy devices, wearables, TVs and home appliances using the SmartThings app, there is a shift from reactive to proactive."

"AI-enabled insights help users manage their health, monitor their homes, and stay connected to family and pets without creating new routines or requiring constant attention," said Choi.

"The intelligence works quietly in the background, delivering timely guidance, alerts, and support only when it's genuinely useful."

Daily living

"Samsung's AI ecosystem is designed to make daily life simpler, safer, and more personalised for Kiwi households by removing complexity from everyday routines," said Choi.

"Across the home, AI works quietly in the background to optimise experiences automatically."

"TVs adjust picture and sound based on what you're watching, while our class-leading Family Hub refrigerators with AI Vision recognise food ingredients and help plan meals," said Choi. "In the laundry, AI washing machines adapt cycles based on usage patterns and scheduling, reducing time, energy, and effort."

"One standout example is Samsung's new AI-powered TV experiences," said Choi. "This year, features like AI Soccer Mode Pro are particularly relevant, ahead of the world's biggest football tournament later this year."

"AI Soccer Mode Pro delivers a more immersive game-day experience through real-time AI-driven picture and sound optimisation," said Choi. "The TV automatically recognises sports content and fine-tunes visuals and audio frame by frame - boosting colours, enhancing contrast, improving player and ball tracking."

"Viewers can even personalise the sound experience, with the ability to raise or lower the volume of the crowd, commentary, or background music," said Choi. "The common thread across all of these experiences is that AI takes care of the small decisions, so people don't have to."

"By expanding our AI appliance line-up and focusing on autonomous operation rather than just connectivity, Samsung is delivering technology that genuinely manages itself," said Choi. "This 'zero housework' vision has the potential to reshape how Kiwis interact with their homes."

Security focus

"For Samsung, privacy and security are fundamental to the AI experience we deliver," said Choi.

"That's why we take a layered approach to security, based on Samsung Knox - our defence-grade security platform which is built directly into our devices."

"Knox protects devices from the chipset level through to the user and now extends beyond mobile to TVs and home appliances," said Choi. "This ensures consistent, enterprise-grade safeguards wherever people access Samsung's AI-powered experiences."

"We also take a hybrid approach to AI that strengthens privacy," said Choi. "Wherever possible, personalisation happens on-device, keeping data local for faster response times, lower energy use, and greater privacy."

"When cloud AI is required for more complex tasks, data is processed securely and selectively," said Choi.

"This combined approach ensures users can benefit from highly personalised AI experiences, which highlight transparency and trust."

"Samsung is offering long-term benefit to businesses," said Choi. "This is evident through a seven-year operating system and security update commitment, allowing businesses to maximise their hardware investment, extend device lifecycles, and stay secure and up to date for nearly a decade."