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Artificial intelligence
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Samsung to integrate Baidu’s AI model into new Galaxy S24 handsets, as mainland Chinese rivals push new smartphones with similar tech

  • Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series smartphones will deploy Baidu’s Ernie AI model to perform the handsets’ new ‘Circle of Search’ feature
  • Ernie will also help users translate and summarise texts, as well as transcribe speech in multiple languages via the Note Assistant function

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Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy S24 series smartphones are seen on display at a company store in Seoul, South Korea, on January 18, 2024. Photo: dpa
Iris Dengin Shenzhen
Samsung Electronics has teamed up with Baidu to integrate the Chinese internet giant’s large language model (LLM) – the technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT – into the South Korean company’s latest flagship 5G device, marking a renewed push into the world’s largest smartphone market where domestic rivals are set to launch handsets with artificial intelligence (AI) features.
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Under a strategic partnership between Samsung’s China arm and Baidu AI Cloud, the recently unveiled Galaxy S24 series will deploy the Ernie LLM to perform the handset’s new “Circle to Search” feature that enables users on the mainland to search texts, images or videos via hand gestures, with results provided by the Chinese online search and AI firm, according to an announcement on Thursday.

Ernie will also help users translate and summarise texts, as well as transcribe speech in multiple languages via the Note Assistant function, according to Baidu.

Globally, Samsung has tapped Google’s Gemini AI technology to power its new AI-enabled 5G smartphones under a multi-year partnership announced last week. In mainland China, however, both Google and OpenAI’s models are not available, which prompted the Korean electronics giant to rely on a domestic AI partner to keep its new handsets competitive on the mainland.
People stand in front of electronic boards promoting Samsung Electronics’ new flagship Galaxy S24 series smartphones in Seoul, South Korea, on January 18, 2024. Photo: Reuters
People stand in front of electronic boards promoting Samsung Electronics’ new flagship Galaxy S24 series smartphones in Seoul, South Korea, on January 18, 2024. Photo: Reuters

The stakes are high for both Samsung and Baidu as global shipments of generative AI-powered smartphones are projected to reach more than 100 million units this year and grow rapidly to 522 million in 2027, according to a recent report by Counterpoint Research.

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