As the smartphone market faces saturation and growth stagnation, manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) innovations as a key selling point. Global giants like Samsung and Apple are actively integrating AI features into their latest models, with Chinese companies and Google also jumping on the AI bandwagon. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing AI capabilities when purchasing new smartphones.

Samsung is at the forefront of this AI integration.

In January, Samsung held its 'Galaxy Unpacked 2024' event in San Jose, unveiling the Galaxy S24 series, the first AI-powered smartphones. The Galaxy AI system is built into these devices, marking the beginning of the "AI phone era."

The Galaxy S24 series, which includes the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra models, boasts real-time translation during calls and enhanced camera and photo editing capabilities. One of its standout features is "on-device AI," which performs tasks like real-time translation without relying on the cloud, supporting 13 languages, including Korean and English. Additionally, Samsung introduced the "Circle to Search" feature, developed in collaboration with Google, allowing users to circle content on the web or social media to generate automatic search results. The "Note Assist" feature summarizes notes or memos and formats them into meeting minutes.

Apple, on the other hand, launched its AI-integrated iPhone 16 series last month, offering four models: the base iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max. These devices come equipped with Apple’s AI system, 'Apple Intelligence,' powered by its latest A18 and A18 Pro chips, enabling advanced machine learning.

For example, Apple Intelligence refines hastily written notes into polished invitations, generates custom emojis, and creates unique images. It also scans emails and provides summaries, highlighting important information like upcoming appointments. However, the full AI functionality for iPhone 16 won’t be available until next year, with Apple launching a beta version of Apple Intelligence in English first, followed by support for other languages like Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish.

AI integration in smartphones has also heightened concerns over security and privacy. Apple, a later entrant into AI development, emphasizes the robust security of its AI system, claiming that strong privacy protections are a key advantage of its devices. Samsung also reassures users that Galaxy AI features give them control over their data, with many functions processed on the device itself to prevent sensitive information from leaving the device. When cloud processing is necessary, Samsung applies strict server policies to safeguard user data.

However, despite these efforts to enhance data security, a recent CNET survey revealed that approximately 34% of respondents still express serious concerns about potential data breaches, even as tech giants like Samsung, Apple, and Google work to strengthen privacy protections.

— Reporter: Hwan-dong Cho