Samsung Insights: Youths in Southeast Asia are High Adopters of AI

Survey findings show that almost 9 in 10 youths in Southeast Asia are already using AI daily, with a majority accessing AI tools and services through their mobile devices

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced the findings of its 2024 survey on Artificial Intelligence (AI), revealing that Southeast Asian (SEA) youths are not just witnessing the AI revolution, but are also actively shaping it. The survey showed that close to 9 in 10 youths are already using AI in their day-to-day routines, and the primary platform that they use to access AI services is through their mobile devices. This highlights the role and potential of mobile devices in empowering SEA youths today and tomorrow.

The survey, conducted among 884 youths^[1] aged 13 to 24 in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, highlights the profound impact of AI on their lives, ambitions, and aspirations for social change.

CU Kim, President and CEO of Southeast Asia and Oceania for Samsung Electronics, said, “We have always been passionate about enabling the next generation in our region to reach their fullest potential through our innovative technology and our global Corporate Citizenship programmes. This is why we have sought to understand the hopes and aspirations of youths in our region. Our survey findings show that Southeast Asian youths are high adopters of AI and believe in its potential to shape their careers or for driving social good. This reinforces the need to continue to empower the next generation with meaningful AI innovations, and Samsung is committed to helping youths unlock new possibilities, amplify their creativity, and drive positive change in their communities.”

High Adoption of AI among SEA Youth Today

Based on survey findings, AI is no longer a future concept for the SEA youths – it is a present reality empowering them to thrive in all aspects of their lives. A staggering 9 out of 10 youths already incorporate AI tools and services into their daily routines, using such tools for learning, creativity, staying informed, and driving positive changes in their communities. Specifically, the top three daily uses of AI are for learning (78%), for creativity (56%), and to stay informed (38%).

Mobile devices^[2] are central in driving AI usage among this demographic, as it is the preferred way SEA youths use to access AI tools and services. This trend is expected to continue, as more youths expect mobile devices to be their main mode of access to AI in the future. Samsung is at the forefront of this mobile-first era, bringing AI tools and services to all with Galaxy AI, which enhances communication, fosters creativity, and boosts productivity. The new Samsung Galaxy S25 Series is an example of how Samsung continuously sets new standards of what AI smartphones can do, by understanding users’ needs and preferences to provide personalised AI experiences with privacy assured at every turn.

SEA Youth See AI as Catalyst for Shaping Their Future Careers

Youths surveyed are optimistic about the future of work in the age of AI, proactively preparing for new opportunities by developing essential AI skills. While 65% believe AI will create new job opportunities, 81% are also aware that some jobs will inevitably disappear. This awareness has fueled a strong desire for AI skills development, with 70% of youths surveyed expressing a keen interest in upskilling and learning more about AI. More than half of the respondents also feel that AI may change their job fields substantially in the future, reflecting the keen awareness by SEA youths on how AI will shape their career paths.

Through the expansion of intelligent AI features on even more Galaxy devices such as the new Galaxy S25 Series as well as the Galaxy A56 5G, A36 5G and A26 5G, Samsung is committed to empowering even more users by making AI more accessible across various models. Interactive features such as Google’s Circle to Search^[3] and Math Solver in Samsung Notes help create immersive learning environments that bring meaningful educational experiences to life.

Collaborative Action for Responsible AI Among Youth

When asked about what influences their use and perspectives of AI, social media (77%) was ranked as the top encouraging force by SEA youths, followed by technology companies and services (73%), then friends and siblings (57%). As such, building a responsible AI future for youth today requires collaborative action among various groups, as well as creating a safe environment for youths to learn and grow.

Samsung’s approach to AI prioritises security and privacy, as exemplified by features like Personal Data Engine^[4] on the new Galaxy S25 Series. This ensures context-aware, personalised AI experiences with robust protection for user data across the Samsung connected device ecosystem. Across Galaxy devices, innovations such as Knox Vault keep personalised data private and secure while laying the groundwork for youths to boost their productivity and creativity using mobile AI, with complete peace of mind.

Continued investment in AI education and infrastructure is crucial in ensuring equitable access to the benefits of the AI revolution. Samsung is dedicated to this through its global Corporate Citizenship prgorammes such as the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow global contest, which empowers youths to leverage technology for social good.

Winners of Singapore’s Solve for Tomorrow 2024 competition harnessed AI technology through SilentGuide—a pair of smart glasses that uses AI-driven speech recognition to transcribe spoken words into real-time subtitles, enabling people with hearing impairments to participate more meaningfully in conversations. Inspired by a classmate with a hearing impairment who struggles to engage in noisy environments, the team developed a solution that functions without an internet connection, and is comfortable to wear, user-friendly and affordable.

By fostering AI literacy and supplying the right innovative tools through these initiatives, more youths will be equipped to thrive in the future world of AI and new technologies.

^[1] The Samsung 2024 Youth Survey on AI was conducted with 884 respondents across five markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore and Thailand, from August to October 2024. Respondents were recruited via snowball sampling and results are based on weighted data for equal representation from each market.

^[2] Includes smartphones and tablets

^[3] Service availability may vary by country, language, device model. Requires internet connection. Users may need to update Android and Google app to the latest version. Results may vary depending on visual or audio matches. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Works on compatible apps and surfaces, and with ambient music only. Will not identify music coming through headphones or if phone volume is off.

^[4] The Personal Data Engine functions under the condition that the Personal Data Intelligence menu is on. Analysed data will be deleted once the Personal Data Intelligence menu is turned off. Personal Data Engine recognises select languages and certain accents/dialects, including but not limited to, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. Personal Data Engine currently analyses Samsung native applications.