Samsung CEO TM Roh outlines vision ahead of Galaxy Unpacked

Samsung Electronics president and CEO TM Roh has previewed the company’s design and artificial intelligence priorities ahead of Galaxy Unpacked, due to be held in London on July 22, where the next generation of foldable phones is expected to be unveiled.

In an editorial published on Samsung’s official website, Roh argued that form factor will become increasingly important as AI grows more personal and capable. “As AI helps us with more at once, a screen that flexes and folds expands what is possible,” he wrote, adding that foldables “fold into your hand or open a larger stage.” He said Samsung has continued making its foldable devices thinner, lighter, stronger and more immersive with each generation.

Roh sees the moment as a turning point for artificial intelligence, describing an “agentic age” in which AI takes action on a person’s behalf while the individual retains final decision-making power. He said that for AI to act on someone’s behalf, it must first understand them, which is why the devices through which people encounter AI matter so much. “The best AI experiences will come from the devices that know the user best,” he wrote.

The Samsung chief pointed to the breadth of the company’s device ecosystem, spanning phones, tablets, watches, televisions and home appliances, as the foundation for building a fuller picture of each user’s needs. He said phones remain closest to daily life, tablets support creativity and learning, watches track signals such as sleep and heart rate, and televisions and connected appliances add context from the home. Newer form factors, including foldables and intelligent eyewear, further expand where AI can meet users, he said.

Roh also stressed openness as central to Samsung’s approach, citing SmartThings as an example of bringing devices, services and partners into a single connected experience while shaping open industry standards. He said openness alone was not enough, however, and that the harder task lay in making intelligence personal and trustworthy. “What makes it personal is understanding the user and keeping that understanding safe. That is our responsibility,” he wrote.

On the subject of trust, Roh said Samsung Knox protects individual Galaxy devices as well as the connections between them, with the most sensitive personal data kept on-device so users can retain visibility and control over how AI functions. He said this approach to security was built in from the start rather than added later, given how much data now moves between connected devices.

Health was highlighted as another priority area, with Roh noting that devices worn close to the body, such as watches, track signals related to sleep and recovery that can support better daily wellbeing.

Looking ahead to Galaxy Unpacked, Roh said Samsung would demonstrate more natural, personal AI experiences built on a platform designed for partners to build upon. “The question that opens the next era is not who has the smartest AI, but who understands people best, and turns that understanding into experiences they can trust,” he wrote, describing the approach as one of openness and responsibility beginning with “the device already in your hand.”

Galaxy Unpacked will be streamed live on Samsung’s website, Samsung Newsroom India and the company’s YouTube channel from 6.30 pm IST on July 22.