Samsung adds creepy AI feature to its phones

I recently witnessed a teen girl struggling to do simple math. I know my 7-year-old nephew could have done that calculation, as I have seen his homework.

It occurred to me that as Apple iPhone was released in 2007, the girl's parents may have given her a smartphone when she was in elementary school, and she always used a calculator app.

And the brain has one thing in common with a muscle: if you don't use it, it atrophies or weakens.

In 2017, five years before chatGPT was released and artificial intelligence applications became widespread, University of Chicago Press released a paper: “Brain drain: the mere presence of one’s own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity.”

That is scary. Google also recently released an experimental app for using AI chatbots locally on the phone. What would that study show, if conducted in two years?

In addition, according to Psychology Today, social psychologists report a steady increase in narcissism measures among college students. You don't need to be a psychologist to figure out that smartphones offer important ingredients to fuel this increase: social media access and good cameras for selfies.

Now Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) has teamed up with another company to provide new features on its phones that curiously, but seemingly unintentionally, contribute to the same trend.

Samsung's Q1 revenue increased 12.81% year over year, thanks to strong sales of Galaxy S25.

Image source: Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Samsung and Glance launch a new AI shopping experience

Samsung has partnered with Glance to bring Glance AI, a generative AI commerce platform, to its U.S. smartphone users.

Glance AI is an opt-in experience that works by training itself on a single selfie or other image of the user. It then generates images of the user wearing outfits offered in the store. The purchases can be made with just a tap.

Glance AI can be used as both an app and a lock screen. The recommendations and order fulfillment are driven by Glance AI’s partnership with more than 400 brands and retailers in the U.S. and beyond.

“At Samsung Galaxy Store, we’re proud to be more than just an app marketplace – we’re a destination for innovation, discovery, and meaningful experiences tailored for Galaxy users,” said the store's Senior Director Jason Shim. “Glance AI is a perfect example of the kind of high-quality and unique content we strive to deliver.”

“By using AI to personalize content and shopping directly on the lock screen, it brings a smarter, more dynamic experience that reflects the forward-thinking spirit of the Galaxy Store,” Shim added.

Glance AI began its staged rollout on June 4, starting with Samsung handsets including Galaxy S22 plus, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23 plus, Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24 Ultra, Galaxy S24 plus, Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Galaxy S25 plus.

According to the company, the rest of the device models and a full 100% scale are expected to be achieved within the next 30 days.

Amid tariff pressure, Samsung and other smartphone makers must attract consumers

President Trump's threat of a 25% tariff on iPhones not manufactured in the U.S. may affect all smartphones imported into the U.S., regardless of the manufacturer. A 25% tariff would have a major impact on the cost of manufacturing Samsung’s devices, and the company is very unlikely to just absorb this price increase without passing the added expense onto phone buyers, writes TheStreet's Christy Rakoczy.

Some estimates indicate Samsung phones could cost as much as 40% more in the United States if the tariffs go into effect.

Samsung's reported Q1 revenue growth of 12.81% year over year, thanks to strong sales of Galaxy S25 smartphones. It unveiled its new smartphone Galaxy S25 Edge on May 13, with a titanium body that is only 5.8mm thick and a weight of just 163 grams.

More Tariffs:

The pressure for innovation is increasing, as smartphones haven't really changed that much since the release of the first iPhone. And while making phones thinner is something consumers appreciate, there is a physical limit to how much thinner they can get.

That's where AI-driven innovations like Glance AI come in. While Samsung isn't the only manufacturer to offer Glance, it seems to be banking on this special version to help it stay ahead of the competition.