Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Samsung bets on AI to extend its 2-decade grip on TV market
Samsung Electronics' AI-powered Micro RGB TV / Coutesy of Samsung Electronics
By Jhoo Dong-chan
For more than 20 years, Samsung Electronics has dictated the terms of the global television market. Now, as lower-cost rivals threaten the broader hardware industry, the Korean conglomerate is leaning on artificial intelligence (AI) to safeguard its crown.
According to data released by market research firm Omdia, Samsung captured 31.3 percent of global television revenues in the first quarter of 2026, up 1.3 percent from the previous year. The figure places Samsung’s market share at more than double that of its closest competitor, reinforcing a dominance that has remained unchallenged since the mid-2000s.
The company’s grip is tightest at the top of the market. In the premium segment — defined as televisions priced above $2,500 — Samsung claimed 53.4 percent of all revenue. It also captured roughly half of the market for sets priced above $1,500, a lucrative tier driven by consumer appetite for sprawling, cinematic screens. Sales of ultralarge models, including 98-inch and 100-inch displays, helped Samsung secure 31.6 percent of revenue for televisions 75 inches and larger.
Even in OLED technology — a premium display category historically dominated by domestic rival LG Electronics — Samsung is rapidly closing the gap. Samsung reported a 28.8 percent year-over-year surge in OLED unit sales, capturing 40.1 percent of global OLED revenue. In the critical North American market, that share climbed to 46.1 percent, bringing Samsung's total global OLED sales to more than 5 million units since it entered the space in 2022.
But executives are looking past raw hardware specs, identifying 2026 as a pivotal point for the mass adoption of AI-powered viewing. The company's latest lineup relies on machine learning software to optimize sports broadcasts in real time and automatically adjust audio feeds by isolating dialogue from background noise.
Crucially, Samsung is expanding these features beyond high-end models into mass market lines. If the tech-centric strategy holds, the company is on track to secure the industry's top spot for a 21st consecutive year, proving that in the age of algorithms, the television is no longer just a screen.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.