Gadgets

Samsung Unveils ‘Companion to AI Living’ at CES 2026

Companion to AI Living

Samsung positions AI as a unifying platform across TVs, appliances, wearables and services.
Vision AI Companion (VAC) powers entertainment and lifestyle features across Micro RGB, Micro LED, OLED, Neo QLED and more.
SmartThings now serves 430 million users; Family Hub refrigerators gain Google Gemini-powered AI Vision for food tracking and recipes.
New hardware highlights: 130-inch Micro RGB, Odyssey 6K 3D G9, Bespoke AI appliances, Music Studio speakers and The Freestyle+ projector.

What Samsung announced at CES 2026

Samsung presented “Your Companion to AI Living” at The First Look during CES, framing AI as the company’s guiding philosophy for R&D, product development and user experience. TM Roh, CEO of Samsung’s Device eXperience division, said the company is creating “a more unified, more personal experience across mobile, visual display, home appliances and services.”

Entertainment Companion: TVs and audio that act like a companion

Samsung introduced a new display flagship, the 130-inch Micro RGB, which uses microscopic RGB diodes and the Micro RGB AI Engine Pro to deliver a wider color spectrum and refined picture control. The lineup also includes OLED S95H, Neo QLED, Mini LED and UHD TVs.

Vision AI Companion (VAC) runs across compatible TVs to recommend what to watch, suggest meals and set mood music. VAC features AI Soccer Mode Pro, AI Sound Controller Pro and multi-device workflows that can send recipes or playback cues to appliances like The Movingstyle and The Freestyle+ projector.

Audio, gaming and OS updates

Samsung added Wi‑Fi speakers (Music Studio 5 and 7) and rolled out a 2026 Odyssey gaming monitor family led by the first 6K 3D Odyssey G9. The company also committed to seven years of Tizen OS upgrades to keep smart TVs evolving over time.

Home Companion: appliances that reduce daily friction

Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerator gets an AI Vision upgrade powered by Google Gemini to better recognize items and track food in and out of the fridge. New features include Video to Recipe, FoodNote weekly reports, What’s for Today? gamified meal suggestions, and Voice ID for personalized widgets.

Robotics and laundry

The Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, using a Qualcomm Dragonwing processor and Active Stereo 3D Sensor, can detect liquids and act as a home monitor. The Bespoke AI Laundry Combo and AirDresser add faster cycles and Auto Wrinkle Care to simplify clothes care.

Care Companion and security

Samsung outlined plans for proactive health coaching across phones, wearables and appliances, plus dementia-research collaborations using wearable signals. Samsung Knox and Knox Matrix are cited as the security backbone, protecting data and model training workflows through continuous red-team analysis.

Industry partnerships

Samsung expanded a partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler to explore insurance premium reductions tied to connected SmartThings devices after a successful U.S. pilot in 2025.