IFA 2024: Samsung showcases the power of its AI products to create a connected world for all

Samsung takes to the stage at the 100th IFA conference to unveil its latest innovations and celebrate the possibilities AI can create for everyone

Benjamin Braun, CMO Samsung Europe, highlighting AI for All on stage at IFA 2024

BERLIN, Germany – Sept. 5, 2024 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. took to the stage at IFA today, celebrating 100 years of innovation at the conference, to continue its vision “AI For All.” The presentation showcased Samsung’s bold commitment to democratise AI, enabling more people to benefit from its uses.

Further expanding the AI for All vision, the conference included chapters “AI Meets the World” and “AI Meets You” where speakers from across the company and its partners demonstrated the critical role AI plays in improving users’ quality of life, equipping them with tools they can use to enrich their lives.

“Since our presentation at IFA last year, discussions around AI and its role in our lives have grown significantly,” said Benjamin Braun, Chief Marketing Officer, Samsung Europe. “At Samsung, we are proud to make AI more accessible and understandable, showing how it can simplify life rather than complicate it. We believe AI should act like multiple pairs of helping hands, meeting your needs and the world beyond them. Our AI-enabled products allow people more time to focus on the things they care about.”

AI For All

Samsung’s AI for All spans a wide range of its AI enabled products, from mobile devices, home appliances and home entertainment systems. By the end of 2024, Samsung expects there will be 200 million Galaxy AI-enabled devices in users’ hands. Samsung understands its AI features need to adapt to how consumers want to live – as well as supporting the needs of the earth.

Central to this is the expanding SmartThings ecosystem, which connects over 500 million devices, offering seamless remote control of all Samsung AI-enabled products, from turning the heating on or off, managing all appliances when home or away and navigating Samsung TVs.

Never before has it been so easy for people across the world to use of the power of AI to take control of the world around them. Samsung AI enable products give this power to its users, allowing them to curate their everyday experiences. Whether striving for more sustainable living, expanding creativity or connecting with their loved ones.

However, only 15% of people said they have a full understanding of how AI can be used in their daily lives and yet 66% of us are looking for ways to create more time. This shows a clear opportunity for Samsung AI to give back to people, and why AI is for All.¹

Launching following IFA, the latest operating system upgrade, One UI 6.1.1, will make AI features from the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6, such as Live Translate and Circle To Search, available on the Galaxy S24, Z Fold5 and Flip5.

This rollout of One UI 6.1.1 will also include brand new apps which bring more opportunity for creativity and connection. Including, Sketch to Image, which allows users to visualise their ideas through image options generated from a simple drawing and Portrait Studio which propels creativity by helping users create a more personalised avatar to use online.

AI Meets You

Samsung believes that its AI should enhance daily life by allowing users to personalise entertainment experiences.

Also showcased on stage at IFA were the latest innovations in Samsung TVs. Since 2015, Tizen OS has powered hundreds of millions of smart TVs, leading the evolution of television viewing. 2024 Samsung AI TVs will receive Tizen OS upgrades for seven years considering hardware specification.² This ensures that consumers can continue to enjoy the latest innovations and enhanced connectivity across all their Samsung devices.

Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K AI screens provide an enhanced viewing experience with built-in NQ 8 AI Gen 3 processors. These processors feature 512 neural networks—eight times more than before—and, when combined with the power of AI, deliver a customised, high-quality sound and picture experience. This technology upscales on-screen content to deliver the sharpest and smoothest picture yet.

Samsung also announced the exciting launch of the new Samsung Music Frame.The Music Frame wireless speaker was launched earlier this year, delivering superior sound quality that fills any space with rich, clear audio. With built-in woofers and intelligent Dolby Atmos technology inside, the Music Frame intelligently adapts to your home acoustics and brings every sound and note to life.

Samsung is creating simple user experiences through its Bespoke AI appliances³, which now offer enhanced voice control through Bixby upgrades. The upgraded Bixby can understand multiple commands in one sentence, recall previous context⁴ to carry out continuous commands for personalised responses and provide answers to product related questions.⁵ It allows users to express their needs more naturally and easily than before.

Samsung also opens up greater control and accessibility benefits for users. For example, Samsung developed and applied an Auto Open Door feature on some washing machine and refrigerator models so users can open doors with a light touch. A recent update allows people to open the door by simply saying, “Open the refrigerator door”, even without wake-up commands like “Hi Bixby”.

AI Meets World

Samsung believes that AI is a force for good and one which has a critical role to play in allowing us all to take better care of the planet and each other.

Samsung has continued its mission to become Net Zero by 2050, with 93% of its DX Division operations running on to Renewable Energy sources.⁶

Within its products, Samsung continues to prioritise energy efficiency and is passionate about using AI to make this possible. Whether that’s AI inside appliances such as its refrigerators and washing machines or using AI to unlock the potential of its SmartThings Eco System to save more energy.

On stage at IFA Samsung revealed that the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™ is now rolling out across Europe, and will be released in the Philippines by December 2024. The All-in-One washer and dryer combo is a single space efficient appliance that finishes the wash and dry cycle in one queue. The wash cycle not only meets but surpasses the minimum energy efficiency requirements for the A-grade rating by up to 20%,⁷ and the wash and dry cycle combined also meets the A-grade rating.⁸ This impressive performance is achieved through advanced heat pump drying technology, which dries clothes quickly, gently and efficiently at lower temperatures.

The SmartThings Ecosystem remains at the core of Samsung’s ability to pioneer energy efficiency, as it can make lots of small changes to make a big difference. The AI Energy Mode in SmartThings Energy⁹ can save up to 70% of energy consumption for washing machines.¹⁰ ¹¹ Also with SmartThings Away Mode users never have to worry about forgetting to turn off a light or the TV when they go out. Sensors in various appliances sense when there is no-one in the room and then shut down systems to save energy.

Bespoke AI appliances can also save energy costs through Optimal Scheduling and Optimal Charging. These features delay the start of a wash cycle and charging to avoid peak hours in order to reduce energy costs when combined with smart tariffs.

For more information on the products mentioned within this release, please visit the Samsung Global Newsroom here.

¹This research was conducted between July 11th and July 19th, 2024, to gauge public sentiment towards AI across Europe. The survey sampled 11,000 adults from ten countries: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Poland, with each country contributing 1,000 respondents, except the UK, which had 2,000 respondents.

²Details on supporting models and features to be determined.

³The update is available for appliances launched in 2024 including the Bespoke 4-Door Refrigerator with AI Family Hub™; Bespoke AI Laundry Combo™; Bespoke Slide-in Range; Bespoke Jet Bot Combo™ AI; and Bespoke AI WindFree™ Gallery Freestanding Air Conditioner (sold in Korea only).

⁴Only available while the dialog box is open.

⁵Understanding multiple commands and Recalling previous context are supported in the following languages: English (US, UK, India), Korean, Spanish (Latin America, Europe), French, German, Italian and Portuguese (Brazil). Answering product-related questions is currently available for English (US) and Korean. The following scenario is based on English (US) and may vary depending on user language settings.

⁶In September 2022, Samsung announced its New Environmental Strategy which includes the company’s goals to achieve net zero Scope 1,2 emissions by 2050, maximize resource circularity to contribute to a circular economy and tackle environmental challenges through technological innovation. Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) division aims to reach net zero Scope 1,2 emissions by 2030. The DX division achieved 93.4% renewable energy conversion as of the end of 2023 — which includes 100% renewable energy used at major global manufacturing facilities in the United States, Europe, Korea, China, Brazil, India and Vietnam.

⁷Based on internal testing of energy efficiency of household washing machines according to Regulation (EU) 2019/2016. This 18kg washer model comes with 20 percent more energy efficiency (38.9 EEI) than the conventional A-rated energy efficiency class (52 EEI).

⁸Based on internal testing. Complete operating cycle from washing to drying of this model is rated Energy efficiency class A as defined by EU Regulation 2019/2014.

⁹Available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required.

¹⁰Savings amount estimated based on tests performed by Samsung. Estimated savings may differ from users actual savings. https://blog.smartthings.com/smartthings-energy/how-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint-with-smartthings-energy/ 

¹¹Wi-Fi connection, Samsung account and SmartThings required. Can be applied when the selected washing temperature is 20~40°C. Max saving results from washing a 40 degree cycle as a cold wash. Savings based on internal testing on the WW11BB944AGB model in normal usage conditions. Results: Power consumption without AI Energy Mode = 0.539 KWh. Power consumption with AI Energy Mode = 0.145 KWh. Results may vary depending on the actual usage conditions.