Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today convened leaders across industries in to discuss the importance of smart home interoperability in the first of its Tech Forum panels at CES 2026 at The Wynn in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the session, titled “When Everything Clicks: How Open Ecosystems Deliver Impactful AI,” experts discussed how cross-industry partnerships are transforming connected homes into intelligent environments that feel seamless, safe and genuinely supportive of people’s lives.

Openness as the Foundation of Home AI

The panelists agreed that the next era of home intelligence must be built on open collaboration, not closed ecosystems. As homes increasingly rely on devices and services from many brands and industries, openness enables AI systems to work together in ways that create real-world impact. Samsung shared its belief that open connectivity allows appliances, energy systems, safety services and partners across industries to deliver experiences that would be impossible in siloed environments.

“Home is the most personal place in our lives, so home AI must earn trust — quietly, respectfully, and with value users can feel,” said Yoonho Choi, President & Chair of the Board of the Home Connectivity Alliance and Head of Strategic Alliances at Samsung Electronics. “That requires interoperability across brands, so the home works as one system instead of disconnected features. Through cooperation with HCA and across industries, we’re turning openness into outcomes: safer homes, simpler routines and measurable savings — built on consent and transparency.”

Powering the World’s Largest Connected Home Ecosystem

Samsung highlighted the scale and depth of its connected ecosystem, noting that more than 500 million users are already part of the SmartThings community. With over a decade of leadership in connected living, Samsung brings deep insight into how AI companionship in the home is evolving, from today’s smart devices to tomorrow’s system-wide intelligence.

This foundation allows Samsung to design AI experiences that coordinate across appliances and services, delivering value that feels natural rather than technical.

“It’s crucial to deliver tangible user benefits that make people’s lives better,” said Michael Wolf, founder and editor-in-chief of The Spoon. “Along these lines, there’s no area that will bring more benefit than a broadly connected kitchen — one that that allows users to understand what’s in their refrigerator while connecting to the water and heating networks, allowing for a more holistic understanding that takes preventative action.”

Turning Collaboration Into Measurable Consumer Benefits

The panel also examined how open ecosystems enable measurable benefits for consumers through cross-industry partnerships. Samsung highlighted its collaboration with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB) as a first-of-its-kind example of how smart home data — used responsibly and transparently — can deliver meaningful outcomes.

“We’re at a point where the connected home can bring seamless integration into user lifestyles, which begins to develop trust in smart home equipment that results in direct benefits to consumers,” said Jed Usich, Senior Vice President of Strategic Growth Solutions at HSB. “Through our partnership with Samsung, we’ve created a bridge to the insurance industry that takes simple datapoints and turns them into tangible savings for consumers.”

Designing AI That Feels Human, Not Intrusive

Throughout the discussion, the panelists emphasized that for home AI to succeed, it must feel emotionally intelligent and fit naturally into routines including cooking, relaxing, entertaining and caring for families. Design, storytelling and behavioural understanding all play a role in making connected devices feel like calm, reliable companions.

Together, the panelists agreed that the future of home AI depends on interoperability, responsible data use and collaboration across industries, ensuring intelligent homes deliver real value without compromising trust.

As AI becomes more ambient and system-wide, Samsung remains focused on building open ecosystems that make connected living simpler, safer and more meaningful, proving that when everything clicks, home AI can truly improve everyday life.

Samsung Electronics today announced that it will boldly break away from the conventional exhibition framework and present a new exhibition paradigm with The First Look at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics show, to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 6–9.

For The First Look, the company is shifting from operating a public booth within the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) to establishing a standalone exhibition hall at The Wynn Las Vegas. There, Samsung will curate an experience that adopts techniques used in art galleries and museums to unveil its new products and technologies.

To this end, the company has built its exhibition space, the Samsung Exhibition Zone, on an industry-leading scale, enabling all activities — product exhibitions, presentations, events, technology forums and consultations with key clients and partners — to be conducted organically in a single integrated location. The Exhibition Zone reflects Samsung’s strong commitment to transforming the exhibition paradigm beyond a simple change of venue, toward an approach centered around the customer experience.

Beyond Simple Lineups: Experiencing the Essence of AI in a Well-Curated Space

At CES 2026, Samsung will present its unified AI approach for its Device eXperience (DX) Division and articulate the company’s overall business direction. It is because of this ambitious vision that the company has chosen to establish an industry-leading, large-scale premium standalone exhibition space at The Wynn. There, Samsung will have no limitations when showcasing its industry-leading innovations and will be able to fully convey its overall AI strategy and vision — and the real-life value it can bring to consumers.

The First Look event has been designed to demonstrate how Samsung’s technology transforms lives, moving beyond only showcasing new product features. To realize a fully immersive environment, the exhibition will provide minimized congestion and enhanced programming for a deeper, more meaningful visitor experience.

A Grand Showcase of Samsung AI at the Industry’s Largest Space

Through carefully curated storytelling, Samsung’s Exhibition Zone has been designed to allow visitors to intuitively engage with Samsung’s AI innovation, current key technologies and future direction. Under the theme of “Your Companion to AI Living,” the exhibition showcases how Samsung has extensively applied AI technologies not only across all its product categories — including mobile, home appliances and displays — but also the functions and services that connect them. Visitors will be able to experience these differentiated AI capabilities, which offer seamless, always-on connectivity anytime and anywhere. This hyper-connected ecosystem, where software and AI work together to overcome the normal limits of hardware, is something that only Samsung can deliver.

New Tech Forums Spotlight Recent Industry Trends and Technologies

At CES 2026, Samsung will also host a series of Tech Forum panel discussions dedicated to exploring the latest industry trends and future technologies. The panels will be held over two days on Jan. 5–6 (local time), and will consist of four sessions centered on AI, home appliances, services and design.

Each session will feature both Samsung experts and participants from partner companies, academia, media and the analyst community, who will engage in in-depth discussions on industry trends — as well as new technologies and the future of the industry.

To learn more about The First Look, visit Samsung Newsroom’s CES 2026 landing page.

SEOUL, Korea – Dec. 22, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced that it will host a series of four moderated Tech Forum panel discussions at CES 2026, to highlight industry trends and unveil its distinct AI vision and strategy.

Samsung’s Tech Forums will be held Jan. 5–6 at Samsung’s dedicated exhibition space in the Latour Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas. The company will host a total of four moderated panels covering AI, Home Appliances, Services and Design. Samsung executives along with partners, academics, media and industry analysts will participate in each session by topic:

• When Everything Clicks: How Open Ecosystems Deliver Impactful AI (Jan. 5, 9:00 AM) —  Yoonho Choi, Digital Appliances Business, Samsung Electronics (Chair, Home Connectivity Alliance)

Description: Collaborating smart home innovators hold an open discussion on the necessity of cross-industry partnership and what it takes for meaningful smart home technology to be woven into daily living.

• In Tech We Trust? Rethinking Security & Privacy in the AI Age (Jan. 5, 2:00 PM) — Shin Baik, Group Head, AI Platform Center, Samsung Electronics

Description: Experts in security and AI examine the science of trust and how transparency and secure systems can spark a meaningful change for AI adoption.

• FAST Forward: How Streaming’s Next Wave is Redefining Television (Jan. 5, 4:00 PM) —
  Salek Brodsky, Executive Vice President, Visual Display Business, Samsung Electronics

Description: Leaders in TV and entertainment explore the next wave of streaming, including free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), hybrid models and creator-led channels to shape a more interactive future.

• The Human Side of Tech: Designing a Future Worth Loving (Jan. 6, 1:00 PM) — Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer, DX Division, Samsung Electronics

Description: Design leaders urge the tech industry to look beyond minimalist, spec-driven approaches toward more expressive, human-centered design shaped by new materials, AI and creativity.

In covering the latest trends in technology and daily living, the Technology Forum discussions will serve as a complement to the company’s latest product innovations, which will be showcased at the Samsung Exhibition Zone at the Wynn from Jan. 5–7.

This year, Samsung Electronics once again elevated the TV experience with ‘Micro RGB,’ which uses sub-100 μm red, green and blue LEDs for ultra-precise light control and improved color accuracy. Attention is now focused on what the company will showcase at CES 2026, the world’s largest IT and home appliance exhibition. Stay tuned for what’s next.