[Edaily Reporter Song Jae-min] Samsung is embarking on a "major AI transformation" to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) across all business areas, from research and development (R&D) to production, marketing, and management support. The plan involves reorganizing the entire organization into an AI-centric system by officially introducing external generative AI services across all affiliates and conducting large-scale AI training for presidents and executives.

On the 9th, Samsung announced that it is pushing forward with an "AI Grand Transformation" to fully integrate AI into all operations across its affiliates and to innovate work methods and organizational culture.

This move follows Chairman Lee Jae-yong’s call in his New Year’s address this year to “completely transform our work methods and organizational DNA.” At the time, Chairman Lee emphasized, “We must integrate AI into every part of the business value chain, from R&D to production, marketing, and support.”

Samsung will first officially introduce generative AI services across all affiliates this month. Employees will be able to utilize external AI services such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for their work. The company plans to expand the scope of AI application from software (SW) and marketing to development and manufacturing to drive productivity improvements and business innovation.

Samsung’s policy is to utilize AI not merely as a work tool, but as a core means of driving management innovation. The company plans to establish operational policies tailored to various job roles and organizational characteristics, while continuously enhancing the AI utilization environment.

Innovating Beyond AI Adoption to Transform Organizational DNA

AI training for executives is also set to begin in earnest. This month, Samsung will hold an “AX (AI Transformation) Bootcamp” for approximately 50 presidents from all its affiliates. This marks the first time that presidents from all affiliates will undergo intensive AI training together.

The two-day training, held at the Hoam Hall of the Human Resources Development Institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, will focus on hands-on exercises where participants directly experience how to utilize AI. Based on the assessment that “a CEO’s AI literacy determines the success or failure of AX,” Samsung plans to enable executives to handle AI directly and lead business innovation.

Large-scale training for executives is also underway. Approximately 2,300 executives from all affiliates will undergo AI training in batches, each lasting three days and two nights, through August 12. Samsung views this as the starting point for company-wide AX innovation and plans to expand regular training in the future. The company also plans to roll out AI training for all employees and complete it within this year.

The executive leadership team is also set to announce a joint “AX Vision” during the training program. Amid the global industrial paradigm shifting toward AI, they will share a sense of urgency and a commitment to action, and each company will present its own AI-based business innovation plans.

Organizational restructuring will proceed in parallel. Samsung plans to establish dedicated AI organizations across all affiliates to oversee AX strategy formulation, data and model operations, and AI talent development. Additionally, while fully permitting the use of external generative AI, the company intends to establish relevant security systems to ensure both usability and safety.

In particular, Samsung plans to establish a system where the CEO personally leads the AX initiative. The vision is to apply AI across eight major business processes—including development, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, marketing, sales, service, and corporate support—and to drive the transformation into an innovative enterprise through AX by having top management spearhead management innovation.

A Samsung official stated, “The AI transformation is the starting point for innovation as we leap forward to become an AI-native company,” adding, “We will seize and lead the opportunities of the AI era.”