As the industry prepares for CES 2026, Samsung Electronics is positioning itself at the intersection of home automation and automotive innovation. The company recently pulled back the curtain on its next-generation kitchen appliance lineup, which features a significant overhaul of its vision-based artificial intelligence. This year, the headline act is the integration of Google Gemini into the Samsung ecosystem, a move designed to make the “smart home” feel less like a collection of gadgets and more like an intuitive assistant. But the company’s ambitions aren’t limited to the kitchen; a major acquisition by its subsidiary, Harman, suggests that Samsung is equally focused on dominating the future of the road.
Smart Food Management Powered by Google Gemini
The centerpiece of Samsung’s showcase in Las Vegas will be the new Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub. This marks the first time the brand has equipped a refrigerator with AI Vision technology built on the Google Gemini platform. In the past, these smart fridges were relatively limited, capable of recognizing roughly 37 types of fresh produce and 50 pre-registered packaged goods. The Gemini-powered update effectively removes those training wheels. The system is now designed to identify a vast array of food items automatically, even if they haven’t been registered in the system before.
What makes this particularly useful for the average person is the AI’s newfound ability to recognize handwritten or printed labels on leftovers and items stored in personal Tupperware. By accurately identifying what is actually inside the fridge, the system can update inventory lists in real-time, helping families reduce food waste and simplify meal planning. Jeong Seung Moon, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics, noted that the collaboration with Google Cloud allows the company to reach a “new level of innovation,” ensuring that these digital tools adapt to the user’s actual habits rather than forcing the user to adapt to the tech.
Design Refinements and the New AI Wine Cellar
Beyond the internal software, Samsung is also debuting the Bespoke AI Wine Cellar, an appliance that utilizes a top-mounted camera to track a collection. As users add or remove bottles, the SmartThings AI Wine Manager logs the label, the vintage, and the exact shelf location of each bottle. It even offers personalized pairing suggestions, making the selection process much more intuitive.
The rest of the 2026 kitchen lineup follows a unified, modern aesthetic with a heavy emphasis on stainless steel. The Bespoke AI 3-Door French Door refrigerator features a “zero-clearance” door design that allows for a flush fit in modern cabinetry, and the “AutoView” transparent door lets you see what’s inside without opening the unit. For those who cook frequently, the new DualVent over-the-range microwaves offer a practical upgrade; the dual-extraction system pulls smoke and steam from both the front and bottom, significantly improving air quality over the stove.
A Strategic Expansion into Automotive Intelligence
While Samsung is busy digitizing the kitchen, its subsidiary, Harman International, is making a massive play for the automotive market. Harman recently announced its intent to acquire the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) unit from Germany’s ZF Group for 1.5 billion euros, or approximately $1.8 billion. This deal is a clear signal that Samsung intends to be a heavyweight in the race toward software-defined vehicles.
By absorbing ZF’s expertise, Harman gains immediate access to advanced smart camera technology, radar systems, and automotive computing power. Since Samsung acquired Harman in 2017, the goal has been to scale up its presence in both high-end audio and the competitive automotive electronics sector. This latest acquisition positions the South Korean giant as a primary supplier for the sensors and “brains” that will power the next generation of autonomous and semi-autonomous cars. It’s a move that has already caught the attention of market analysts, who are closely watching Samsung’s stock (005930) as the company bridges the gap between household convenience and high-tech road safety.
