Image Credits - AP PHOTO
Samsung Electronics’ recent collaboration with Chinese search giant Baidu to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technology into its flagship Galaxy S24 series has met with lukewarm interest from consumers in mainland China. The strategic partnership, made public by Samsung’s China division and Baidu AI Cloud in late January, aimed to enhance the AI search functions of Samsung’s latest smartphones using Baidu’s Ernie large language model (LLM) and search engine.
The Galaxy S24 series, which made its debut in the U.S. before reaching the market in China on January 25, introduced Baidu’s AI technology tailored specifically for the local audience. This move was in response to the unavailability of Google’s Gemini AI in China, which supports the global version of the Galaxy S24 series.
Despite the efforts to cater to the preferences of China, a significant number of consumers have taken to social media platforms to convey concerns about the search features on the local version of the Galaxy S24 series. Many of these features, while designed for the Chinese market, are perceived as potentially inferior to those offered by the international version.
Weibo user Sun Weilun asserted, ‘The overseas version is a completely different world than the mainland version.” He also stated that on visiting a Samsung store in Hong Kong to test several models, he found that the circle-to-search feature that was powered by Baidu provided users with much fewer results as compared to the overseas version supported by Google. Another Beijing resident, Richard Zhang, who was planning to buy an overseas version of the Galaxy S24 to have the best AI services said, “I started considering this after I saw that the mainland system recognizes Samsung’s phones as other brands.”
In response to these concerns, Samsung’s China division and Baidu AI Cloud have pledged to actively address user feedback and work towards optimizing the AI functionalities on the Galaxy S24 series for the Chinese market. Baidu is termed as one of the top artificial intelligence players in China. It became the first important tech firm in China to launch its ChatGPT alternative when its Ernie Bot made its debut in March 2023.
Ivan Lam who is a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research stated that within the Chinese market, artificial intelligence was unlikely to generate immediate changes. He also added by saying that the partnership with Baidu indicates the dedication of Samsung to long-term consistent operation in the country.
As the smartphone market in China is known for its discerning consumers with a keen interest in advanced technology, Samsung’s move to integrate Baidu AI will be closely monitored. The success of this collaboration depends on how well the companies can navigate and respond to the evolving preferences and demands of the Chinese consumer base.