We have said farewell to 2025 and as we look ahead and welcome a new year, I am immensely proud of what our teams across Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO) have achieved together so far. To Samsung, the SEAO region is more than a collection of markets; it is a strategic hub of innovation, defined by dynamic growth, cultural diversity, and rapid digital adoption. While commercial targets continued to be important last year, we were also focused on anchoring Samsung as a genuine, long-term partner in SEAO’s development.

To strengthen the fundamentals that we established in 2025, I would like to share three core strategic pillars that will continue to anchor our growth path in 2026: delivering breakthrough innovations, empowering the next generation, and driving transformation for our customers; all underpinned by our commitment to become a truly AI-driven company.

Delivering Breakthrough Innovation Through an AI-Driven Future

At Samsung, we believe AI has fundamentally changed how we operate, innovate, and serve our customers. We have embraced a bold vision to be an AI-driven company and are already weaving AI meaningfully into our R&D product development, operations and user experience.

We first introduced Galaxy AI to the world back in 2024 and we reinforced our AI leadership in 2025 as we delivered an even broader vision of living with AI. In addition to democratization, we are driving a new era of multi-modal intelligence. This means ensuring that our hardware and software evolve together, creating devices that do not just process commands, but function as intuitive companions.

At CES 2026, we announced our efforts to create a more unified and personal experience across mobile, visual display, home appliances, and services with our “Companion to AI Living” Vision.

What excited audiences at CES 2026 was how Samsung’s displays, such as the 130-inch Micro RGB, are merging hardware excellence and visual intelligence to create a true entertainment companion for your homes. For instance, Samsung’s Vision AI Companion (VAC) uses AI technology to recommend what to watch and even what music to listen to.

Lastly, we introduced our long-term vision for intelligent care driven by Samsung’s integrated device ecosystem. I am truly excited about how we can redefine care from a reactive need to proactive opportunity. We will strive to promote healthier lives by delivering helpful features across AI, phones, appliances, wearables and other connected devices.

Empowering the Next Generation

What also continues to excite me is that the next generation in SEAO will not just be users of technology; they will be creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs who shape how these applications of AI serve their communities.

I believe that technology should serve as a bridge that enables everyone, regardless of background, to connect, create, and thrive. To fully unlock this potential, we have directed our corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts towards cultivating and investing in our youth, nurturing the next generation of talent.

Our flagship Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) program empowers young people to drive meaningful change through technology and innovation. In 2025, participation grew by 40% from 2024, with a total of more than 16,900 youth across the region developing solutions to address challenges in their communities. This growth highlights young people’s readiness to apply technology in practical and meaningful ways when given the tools and opportunities.

Last year, the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) actively bridged the regional skills gap by providing advanced information and communications technology (ICT), coding, and AI education across multiple SEAO markets. This approach mirrors our internal capability-building methodology: just as we train our employees through a structured GenAI curriculum, SIC provides youth with a similar roadmap for progression, enabling them to build foundational AI capabilities and progress to working with more complex applications.

These initiatives are more than CSR programs, but strategic investments we are making to contribute and build up the talent pipeline for our region’s AI-driven digital economy.

2026 is set to be a year where we build on this strong momentum with our CSR programs, as we aim to do even more with governments, corporations, schools, NGOs and community partners.

Driving Ecosystem Transformation

Finally, the foundation of a hyper-connected world fueled by AI agents must be trust. At Samsung, security and privacy are at the heart of our strategy. This principle is increasingly critical as we enter an era of Agentic AI, where intelligent systems do not just respond to commands but anticipate needs and act autonomously on users’ behalf. The power of our “One Samsung” ecosystem ensures that intelligence extends seamlessly from mobile to the entire connected home via SmartThings, protected by Samsung Knox.

We also uphold this standard of trust at the enterprise level. Last year, Samsung Business Experience Studios (BES) were launched in markets including Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore. These spaces are designed to help organizations envision how they can adopt innovative Samsung solutions to meet their specific industry challenges. With additional studios set to roll out across Southeast Asia and Oceania, we look forward to more opportunities for collaboration as we partner with enterprises to implement smart and secure solutions for their businesses.

Shaping Our Future Together

My first year leading SEAO has been characterized by our efforts to innovate, empower youth, and transform ecosystems across industries, all anchored in our evolution as an AI leader.

While we are encouraged by what we have achieved so far, our work here is far from over. I invite all our partners, consumers, and regional leaders to continue this journey with us in 2026 and beyond. As we pursue our ambition to establish Samsung as the undisputed leader in AI, we will strive to ensure that AI serves everyone throughout everyday life.

Together, let us shape a future where technology does not just connect devices, but connects people, communities, and possibilities across our vibrant region.

At Samsung, we strive for continuous growth and improvement, while also recognizing the importance of empowering the next generation to drive their own innovation and progress. Today, technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) are fast becoming the transformative technological developments of this era, and we strongly believe in the technology’s potential in enhancing our capabilities.

I found a recent report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to be quite interesting; the findings revealed global human development progress – a measure of improvements in health, education, and income levels according to the UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) – has slowed to a 35-year low. While this take was concerning, what followed was unprecedented optimism about AI’s potential – with 60% of respondents worldwide hopeful that AI will create new job opportunities[1].

We now stand at the edge of a digital divide. As a global technology leader, we are taking on the responsibility to equip all with technology – such as AI – as well as skills that empower them to co-create meaningful change at scale.

Inspiring Collective Innovation Through Human-Centered AI

In the vibrant Southeast Asia & Oceania (SEAO) region, we are already seeing the next generation embracing AI’s potential, not just to shape their careers, but also to drive meaningful social change[2]. These insights align with UNDP findings that show two-thirds of respondents anticipating the usage of AI in education, health, or work within the next year¹.

At Samsung, initiatives like Solve for Tomorrow (SFT), our global flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, embodies the United Nations’ (UN) call for building an economy where people leverage AI rather than compete against it¹. Across SEAO, the 2025 edition of SFT has kicked off in Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia and New Zealand.

The Solve For Tomorrow 2024 Philippines Grand Prize winner hails from Lipa City Science Integrated National High School, with their entry, “Hi-LoWall: A Solar-Powered Rice Husk Fog Wall Utilizing Evaporative Cooling”.

Through the competition, participants gain the skills and confidence to tackle complex problems, transforming their ideas into actionable solutions that solve real problems. One such example is Samsung Philippines’ Solve For Tomorrow champion in 2024, where students from Lipa City Science Integrated National High School presented an innovative and water-efficient solution using rice husk biochar fog walls to combat rising heat indices caused by El Niño, which disrupts public school operations.

Our approach to CSR also reflects the UN’s focus on embedding human agency across the full AI lifecycle, from design to deployment¹. Through programs like SFT, we ensure that young innovators remain at the center of technological solutions, and not just as passive recipients.

Investing in the Leaders of Tomorrow

Today, we are also seeing the democratization of AI underway. Our own youth survey on AI reveals that 9 in 10 youths in SEAO are using AI daily2, with UNDP also reporting similar findings, indicating that 1 in 5 survey respondents are already utilizing AI¹.

Notably, the UNDP highlights that 70% of people in low- and medium-HDI countries expect AI to increase their productivity¹. At the same time, our youth survey on AI also highlights that 78% of youths in SEAO are using AI for learning2. These insights reinforce the potential of AI as a bridge to new knowledge and skills, thereby making Samsung’s contributions towards skills development not just beneficial, but essential for regional economic growth and competitiveness.

Creating a future-ready workforce means bridging the digital divide, and ensuring those without easy access to education, technology, and upskilling opportunities, have the support they need to both participate in and drive change.

Samsung Innovation Campus is a global education program that helps youth build advanced IT skills and practical capabilities for better opportunities.

Across the region, we empower young people through initiatives like Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), providing information and communications technology education in areas such as Coding & Programming, Internet of Things and AI. By bridging the skills gap and laying a foundation for future employment, we’re contributing to the development of skilled professionals and supporting national goals, such as Indonesia’s digital economy growth, which will need an additional 9 million digital talent by 2030.

Over in Thailand, our decade-long partnership with the Office of the Vocational Education Commission through the Dual Vocational Education (DVE) program empowers vocational students with real-world experience and future-ready capabilities. By combining classroom learning with on-the-job training, the program not only strengthens technical expertise, but also cultivates vital skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. This well-rounded approach ensures that students are fully equipped to succeed and contribute meaningfully to Thailand’s development.

Technology as a Bridge 

This commitment to inclusivity extends beyond product design and into how we think about the future of work. As industries evolve and the green economy expands, we must ensure that no one is left behind.

By working closely with government agencies, educators, partners, customers, and the youth who will inherit this future, we are building not just products but responding to the urgent need for new approaches to development, by creating pathways where innovation uplifts communities, and ensuring that everyone has a role in shaping an AI-enhanced future.

For more information, please visit: https://news.samsung.com/my/

[1] Human Development progress slows to a 35-year low according to UN Development Programme report | United Nations Development Programme

[2] Samsung Insights: Youths in Southeast Asia are High Adopters of AIl

Throughout Samsung’s history, we have made it our mission to devote our talent and technology in creating innovative products and services that contribute to the betterment of global society. As a global leader in technology, we also have a responsibility to leverage our innovations, skill and knowledge to bridge the widening digital divide and give more youths the opportunity to reap the benefits of digitalization.

Within the Southeast Asia and Oceania (SEAO) region, we are seeing rapid growth in the digital economy. This is fueled by factors such as increasing mobile penetration and social media usage, a booming e-commerce market, strong government push towards digitalization, and importantly, a population of young digital natives.

Youths are the future drivers for the region, both as consumers and innovators. As we celebrate Samsung Electronics’ 54^th anniversary globally on November 1^st, we remain committed to empowering our youth to meet the demands of the ever-evolving world, while at the same time, uplifting communities across the SEAO region.

Global programs with local impact

In the spirit of co-prosperity, we are committed to doing our part as a socially and environmentally responsible corporate citizen in the communities that we are in, and as champions of innovation, we continually push ourselves to do better in inspiring the next generation through technology. This year, we are excited to see Solve for Tomorrow (SFT), our global flagship STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) – based student competition, expand to more markets in SEAO, including Indonesia and the Philippines. SFT is also making headway in the Pacific Islands, with Samoa and Tonga kick-starting local editions for the very first time in August this year.

▲ More than 500 students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, participated in a SFT workshop in June 2023.

The 2023 edition of SFT is still ongoing in several SEAO markets, but we are already seeing massive momentum in the region, with projects covering creative solutions to address real-life challenges in a variety of themes including environment and sustainability, learning and education, wellness, and healthcare, and more. Beyond the technical competition element, our young participants also receive training in soft skills required for the future workforce, including the 4Cs of 21^st Century Skills – Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity.

We estimate that over 110,000 students and over 1,000 schools are benefiting from this program so far this year, through the competition, online and offline workshops, and other SFT-related activities.

▲ For the 2021 edition of Solve for Tomorrow in Australia, students were encouraged to create fun videos that presented social issues of personal relevance while highlighting STEM-based solutions. Tasmania-based Meg Phillips emerged as the overall winner, driven by her passion for animal conservation, with an RFID-based system to warn animals of approaching cars, with the aim of reducing wildlife casualties, as well as to keep drivers safe.

Recently, Samsung New Zealand announced its SFT 2023 winners. I am especially heartened by the winning submissions that are the embodiment of why we continue to dedicate our efforts for communities through this program. For example, 12-year old Thomas Costar’s hydro turbine mechanism that helps to generate electricity through household drainage systems – the scientific approach that he took is a great example of perseverance and design thinking.

▲ Samsung Innovation Campus participants in Cambodia working diligently under the guidance of mentors.

Beyond encouraging innovative thinking with SFT, we also want to empower the next generation with practical skills needed for success in an increasingly digital world. This is where Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) comes into play. Through SIC, we want to help youth develop real-world skills in the areas of AI, IoT, big data, and coding through formalized training programs, alongside other activities like Innovation Hackathons and IoT Bootcamps.

Since first launching in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2019, we continue to ramp up our work in SEAO. This year, we are excited to add Cambodia and Laos to the program roster. To date, we estimate that over 8,000 students are participating in the program from 135 schools across Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, along with significant interest from a number of national universities too. We are encouraged by the incredibly positive feedback received from students on how the SIC program has helped change their perspectives towards data science, as well as helping them better navigate their education journey.

We are immensely appreciative and humbled by all the cooperation, support, and the sharing of information and learnings from the various governmental agencies and educational organizations who have graciously partnered with us on this journey. These partnerships ensure that the local editions are tailored for the unique education needs of each community, enhancing the learning experience for students, and amplify the program’s impact across the region by increasing awareness of it and supporting its rollout in the markets.

There is no doubt that having passion for education played a significant role in the remarkable success that we have achieved in the spirit of co-creation with initiatives like SFT and SIC.

As an added plus, the activation of programs like SFT and SIC created more opportunities for Samsung to further contribute to local communities and education. For example, this year in Indonesia, we signed two agreements, one is with the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Republic Indonesia to roll out the ‘Samsung Digital for Indonesia’ program in support of the local smart madrasah program, and the other one with the Institute of Technology Bandung for developing digital technology on sustainable environmental conservation.

Looking to the Next 54 Years and Beyond

At Samsung, we passionately believe that doing good is in fact, good business. We are committed to ongoing community engagements and impactful contributions, to continue growing with the SEAO region. At the same time, we look forward to working together with future generations of innovators, encouraging them to be bold and push the boundaries of innovation to shape a brighter future – not just for the next 54 years, but for generations to come.

To celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on October 11, Samsung Electronics is showcasing the remarkable achievements of young women who participated in Samsung Innovation Campus — the company’s global initiative to equip young students with 4IR knowledge and hands-on technical experience.

By pursuing research and work in STEM fields, these young women are breaking down societal barriers and showing how anyone can become leaders and innovators of tomorrow. Read on to learn more about these graduates and their inspiring stories.

USA: Amplifying the Voices of All

Impassioned by her interest in AI and robotics, Natia Lollie from Texas found herself motivated to enroll in Samsung Innovation Campus to take her knowledge and skills further. After completing the rigorous seven-month program, Lollie emerged with a greater understanding of neural networks and deep learning, recognizing their potential to revolutionize robotics as well as solve highly complex challenges.

As Samsung Innovation Campus provides students from all backgrounds the opportunity to learn and grow, Lollie explains how the program acts as a crucial step in the journey towards true inclusivity, diversity and gender visibility within tech. “Encouraging women to participate and discover their places in the development and governance of the AI industry will both reduce bias and ensure that there is a diversity of perspectives. It will also promote greater representation by amplifying all voices and making sure they’re heard,” Lollie said.

Leveraging the knowledge acquired from Samsung Innovation Campus, Lollie aspires to be a Computer Vision specialist in the future and is actively working towards this goal. “My initial goal when I set out to take the course was to find the intersection between AI, machine learning and robotics and I successfully accomplished this. With the knowledge I gained, I now have a better understanding of how to utilize these skills to achieve my dream,” she added.

INDIA: A Community of Women in STEM

Samsung Innovation Campus alumna Medapati Vijaya is currently an undergraduate student pursuing civil engineering at the Dr. Lankapalli Bullayya College of Engineering. As an avid math enthusiast, Vijaya found herself curious to learn more about the role math plays in AI and machine learning — leading her to enroll in Samsung Innovation Campus in 2022.

Vijaya’s experiences at Samsung Innovation Campus led to both academic and personal growth. “The field of STEM is traditionally male dominated. However, with the support of the Samsung Innovation Campus community and the program’s resources, I was able to connect with other like-minded women in STEM and succeed,” Vijaya explained.

Samsung Innovation Campus’ curriculum covered a variety of topics related to AI, including data analytics — which Vijaya had a personal interest in due to her aspiration to become a data analyst. The program also enabled Vijaya to strengthen her organizational and analytical thinking skills as it seamlessly bridged theoretical knowledge and practice, which she claims is essential within the tech industry.

“You may encounter some difficulties but don’t let this discourage you! Believe in your potential, embrace your curiosity and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Surrounding yourself with a supportive community, such as the one I experienced in Samsung Innovation Campus, can make all the difference,” Vijaya expressed.

Vijaya explained how the all-female educational environment had a profound effect on her confidence, as she was able to connect with her peers and step outside of her comfort zone. “My experience at Samsung Innovation Campus helped me develop my confidence in many ways,” said Vijaya.

SPAIN: A Path Forward for Women in Tech

Valencia natives Carmen Llopis and Daniela Georgieva both began their tech journeys at Samsung Innovation Campus in Spain — a unique program to boost women’s participation in the AI field through courses designed specifically for local universities.

Llopis, who attends the Polytechnic University of Valencia, was not initially interested in AI and other technologies. After enrolling in Samsung Innovation Campus, her perspective shifted dramatically and she discovered an interest she did not know she had. “AI is my newfound passion and it’s an exciting field to be involved in. I am now advancing my studies and actively engaging in the tech industry as a woman, and I hope young girls in Spain can be inspired to pursue their passions for technology,” said Llopis.

Originally a graphic design student, Georgieva gradually became interested in programming and decided to explore this curiosity. Despite her limited knowledge of AI, she was warmly welcomed into the AI training program at Samsung Innovation Campus. The program also actively encouraged women such as Georgieva to participate in the courses, nurturing their talents and allowing them to thrive.

Likewise, Samsung is committed to focus on raising women up through education. Stay tuned to Samsung Newsroom for more inspiring stories about how Samsung Innovation Campus is creating a new generation of diverse leaders in tech around the world.

Samsung Electronics today announced that the company ranked fourth out of 150 companies in the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA)’s Digital Inclusion Benchmark in 2021. Samsung’s consistent, multifaceted efforts to be digitally responsible have earned the achievement from global tenth place in 2020 to fourth in this year.

The WBA represents an alliance forged among more than 200 global, regional and local organizations to shape the private sector’s contributions to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The WBA examines companies with a focus on seven key categories, including human rights, the environment and digital inclusion. The WBA launched its very first Digital Inclusion Benchmark last year, which evaluated companies’ progress in improving access to technology, enhancing digital skills, fostering trustworthy use and innovating both openly and ethically.

Samsung was recognized for its efforts on digital responsibility as the company had established its artificial intelligence (AI) ethics principles. Having recognized the importance of emphasizing social and ethical responsibility in technology development, Samsung established a set of AI ethics principles to put into practice.

Samsung strives for accessibility in its products, enhancing them with technologies that make it easier for all users to utilize them. WBA recognized Samsung’s SeeColors app¹ that makes color adjustments to aid those with color vision deficiency (CVD) and helps them enjoy a better viewing experience with optimized colors on Samsung TVs.

The company’s C-lab Outside program in Korea that is designed to foster the startup ecosystem was singled out for its social contribution activities, while Samsung’s devotion to support digital education also garnered recognition. With its vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People’, Samsung has been and will continue to operate social contribution activities focusing on youth education and growth for their sustainable development. Samsung operates its global Corporate Citizenship Program, the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) to provide support in the form of job opportunities in future technology fields.

As a company that develops products and technologies that enhance users’ lives, Samsung is committed to promoting digital responsibility. Going forward, the company will continue to explore ways to make it easier for people to access and utilize a wide range of convenient and meaningful digital technologies.

¹ This app is not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease or medical problem. Any information found, acquired or accessed through this app is made available for your convenience and should not be treated as medical advice.

Well aware of the great importance of education, Samsung Electronics works to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they will need to build a better world. Firm in its belief that every young person deserves a quality education regardless of their background, gender, ability, or personal circumstances, Samsung has empowered a countless number of young people to slowly but steadily contribute to positive changes in their societies.

To celebrate the United Nations’ International Youth Day on August 12, Samsung has gathered stories of young students from different countries who are creating a better future for all by participating in Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs. Read on to hear about their experiences.

Through its global Samsung Innovation Campus and Solve for Tomorrow programs, and its domestic Samsung SW Academy For Youth and Samsung Junior SW Cup programs, Samsung Electronics is empowering the leaders of tomorrow and equipping them with the tools they will need to realize meaningful change.

Find more stories of how Samsung is making a real difference in young people’s lives on the company’s CSR website.

But what exactly does this look like? In order to provide a sneak peek into these global citizenship efforts, Samsung has recently released its ‘Journey to a Better Future’ video series, which features the stories of Samsung employees across the globe in charge of the company’s corporate citizenship programs that focus on providing education for future generations.

Turning Dreams Into Reality to Find Solutions for Society

The Journey to a Better Future series presents experiences from Samsung’s corporate citizenship managers around the world, as well as real testimonies from the students who have participated in their programs.

From Samsung Russia, Sergey Pevnev and Anna Kolganova share their favorite memories from throughout their citizenship careers; Pevnev reminisces about the amazement in the young students’ eyes during the live-streamed lesson he organized featuring Russian astronauts in space, while Kolganova shares her story of launching Samsung Innovation Campus with the same determined mindset of the athletes competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics being held at the same time.

Additionally, students from Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) in Italy share how much closer they are to realizing their dreams of becoming tech experts following the Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and programming education they received through the program, and students from the U.K. who participated in Samsung Solve for Tomorrow discuss with their mentors how they developed creative problem-solving skills in the process of realizing their solutions for society during the program.

The stories of the students of Samsung’s education-focused corporate citizenship programs around the world, as well as the managers and mentors who are helping them realize their dreams, will continue to be shared on Samsung’s corporate citizenship website, Samsung Global Newsroom and across social media.

Take a look at some of those stories in the video below.

Enabling People for a Better Future

Under the CSR vision “Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People”, Samsung operates a range of educational programs around the world to create more inclusive, quality learning experiences for young people from all walks of life and to empower future generations to achieve their full potential.

Samsung’s leading global corporate citizenship programs for youth education include Samsung Solve for Tomorrow and Samsung Innovation Campus. Samsung Solve for Tomorrow encourages students to use their STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) knowledge to create solutions that can solve societal problems and fosters their creative problem-solving skills.

Furthermore, Samsung Innovation Campus concentrates on developing the young generation’s employment capabilities through ICT education. From 2012 through 2020, Samsung’s global employees have devoted a total of 9.07 million hours to corporate citizenship activities, and around 21.5 million people have participated in Samsung’s youth education programs.

Samsung’s corporate citizenship programs are aligned with Goal 4 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Samsung cooperates closely with the world’s governments, policy makers and institutions to provide diverse and equal opportunities for young people. Samsung will continue to devote both the technologies and the resources in order to bring high-quality educational experiences to young people in every corner of the world.