It seems that the South Korean company Samsung is preparing to launch a paid subscription for its artificial intelligence smartphones. According to the source, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Han Jong-hee confirmed that the AI Subscription Club program, which was launched in December for some of the company’s home appliances in South Korea, will soon expand to Galaxy smartphones and the upcoming Ballie AI robot market.
«We will begin rolling out the subscription service to Galaxy smartphones starting next month. Ballie will first be introduced in Korea and the United States, and in Korea we plan to supply it via subscription,” Han Chung Hee said, according to the source.
Note that at this time, an AI Subscription Club is not a prerequisite for accessing Galaxy AI’s AI features on smartphones and other company devices. Samsung has previously said that the company’s AI features will remain free for users until at least the end of 2025. Plans regarding monetization of Galaxy AI for a longer period have not been announced.
Currently, AI Subscription Club gives South Korean consumers the opportunity to sign up for a monthly subscription to their AI TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. It is not yet clear whether the AI Subscription Club program will expand outside of South Korea. Perhaps more information about this will appear at the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, which will take place on January 22 and will be dedicated to the presentation of the Galaxy S25 smartphones.