Samsung reverses years-long ban on external gen AI use

Samsung, which has been cautious about adopting external generative AI services due to concerns over internal information leaks, is reversing course three years after banning the technology due to a highly publicized ChatGPT-related data leak. Samsung Electronics’ DX Division will officially introduce external generative AI services, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, to its employees. The move is seen as a follow-up to Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong ordering an “AI transformation” across all operations of affiliated companies at the beginning of this year. The company had previously been relying solely on in-house AI models. Samsung Electronics announced on June 11 via press release that it is launching a full-scale “AI Transformation (AX)” by adopting leading generative AI services from global tech giants for overall business operations and transitioning its work methods to be AI-centric. Samsung is known to have maintained a cautious stance toward generative AI adoption since a 2023 information security incident in which an employee uploaded work-related source code into ChatGPT, triggering a data leak controversy. However, going forward, DX Division employees will be able to use ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude at work. Samsung explained that supporting all three services reflects “a strategic decision to ensure employees can utilize optimal tools rather than implementing AI as a one-time initiative.” Transforming organizational DNA The selection of the three services followed a verification process testing the effectiveness of external generative AI service candidates with approximately 2,500 employees. Through this process, Samsung Electronics aims to improve work productivity and drive innovation in how work gets done while simultaneously accelerating decision-making speed and elevating organizational execution capabilities to the next level. Roh Tae-moon, president and representative of Samsung Electronics, stated: “The adoption of external generative AI is not simply providing AI as a work tool, but rather a starting point for fundamentally transforming how we work and our execution speed.” He added: “By creating an environment where every employee can utilize the AI best suited to their work, we will enhance organizational execution capabilities beyond individual productivity, ultimately raising the competitiveness of the DX Division’s business.” The DX Division’s adoption aligns with the group-level “AI Transformation” strategy. Samsung Group previously announced via press release on June 9 that it would implement AI across all operations of its affiliated companies. Chairman Lee Jae-yong emphasized in his 2026 New Year’s address: “We must fundamentally transform our work methods and organizational DNA,” and stressed: “We must integrate AI across the entire value chain — from R&D to production, marketing, and support functions.” Top-down training approach Samsung is undertaking a major transformation not only integrating AI into all business processes but also fundamentally reshaping organizational DNA itself, including work methods and organizational culture at the executive and employee levels toward an AI-centric approach. To this end, Samsung plans to conduct intensive AI training called “AX Boot Camp” for all executives across affiliated companies. This will be the first time Samsung conducts intensive AI training for approximately 50 executives. Samsung explained the educational initiative: “Recognizing that CEO AI literacy determines the success or failure of AX, we are implementing hands-on training where executives directly engage with and operationalize AI in their work.” Following the executive tier, AI training for all executives across affiliated companies will also be conducted. The training will run until August 12 in 2-day, 3-night sessions by cohort, with approximately 2,300 executives expected to participate. Samsung plans to position this executive and manager training as the starting point for company-wide AX innovation and will continue periodic additional training to enable executives to redesign operations based on AI and lead organizational transformation. Training for all remaining employees is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, Samsung announced in its press release that it plans to officially introduce external generative AI services, including Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude, across all affiliated companies this month, suggesting that other Samsung subsidiaries beyond Samsung Electronics will also adopt the three services going forward. To align with the expansion of generative AI adoption, Samsung is also establishing dedicated organizations and security systems. Samsung plans to establish dedicated AI divisions across all affiliated companies. These divisions will be responsible for formulating AX promotion strategies tailored to each company’s business characteristics, managing data and model operations, cultivating AI talent, and maximizing group-wide AX promotion capabilities. Additionally, while permitting full-scale use of external generative AI, Samsung is establishing a sophisticated security framework to simultaneously achieve both “expanded AI utilization” and “risk control.”