Samsung's Ballie Robot to Feature Gemini AI via Google Cloud

Samsung Electronics and Google Cloud have announced an expanded partnership to integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology into Ballie, Samsung’s AI-powered home companion robot. The collaboration brings generative AI into the domestic space, enabling Ballie to interact more naturally with users and assist with a range of household tasks. The device will launch in the U.S. and South Korea in Summer 2025.

Ballie will use Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, combined with Samsung’s own AI models, to interpret voice, visual, and sensor data. It will be able to engage in natural, conversational interactions, making it a personalized, proactive presence in the home—managing lights, greeting guests, customizing schedules, and offering lifestyle support such as reminders, wellness suggestions, and even fashion feedback. This will allow it to adapt its behaviors and responses in real time, responding dynamically to users’ needs and environmental cues.

A Personalized AI Companion for Everyday Life

“Through this partnership, Samsung and Google Cloud are redefining the role of AI in the home,” said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of Samsung’s Visual Display Business. “By pairing Gemini’s powerful multimodal reasoning with Samsung’s AI capabilities in Ballie, we’re unlocking a new era of personalized AI companions—ones that moves with users, anticipate their needs, and interacts in more dynamic and meaningful ways than ever before.”

What You Can Ask Ballie

Ballie is designed to respond naturally to everyday language and adapt to your needs in real time. Here are just a few ways you might interact with it:

• “Hey Ballie, how do I look?” Ballie can analyze your outfit and suggest accessories or color changes using its built-in camera and visual reasoning.

• “I’m feeling really tired today.” In response, Ballie can offer personalized wellness tips—like adjusting your sleep environment or suggesting light exercise—using Gemini’s grounding in Google Search.

• “Set the lights to evening mode and turn up the heat.” Ballie can control your smart home environment, adjusting lighting and temperature based on your preferences or routine.

• “Can you play something fun for the dog while I’m out?” Using its built-in projector and smart sensors, Ballie can entertain pets, play music, or display videos while you’re away.

The robot is designed to adapt in real time, with responses informed by context and user behavior, setting it apart from more static smart home assistants.

What Will Ballie Cost?

As of now, Samsung has not announced official pricing for Ballie. However, given the robot’s advanced features—including mobility, conversational AI, and a built-in projector—industry observers expect it may be positioned at the higher end of the consumer robotics market.

For comparison, Amazon’s Astro home robot is reportedly priced at $1,599.99, though it remains available only by invitation and has not yet seen a full consumer release. Its limited rollout highlights how complex and cautious the home robotics space remains—making Ballie’s wide release all the more notable.

Building on Past Integrations

This latest collaboration follows the integration of Gemini into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 smartphone series in 2024. With Ballie, the companies are exploring how generative AI can enhance other consumer devices in Samsung’s ecosystem.

“With Gemini on Google Cloud, Samsung is demonstrating how to deploy generative AI at scale,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. “This expanded partnership underscores our commitment to delivering reliable, enterprise-grade AI that drives lasting value for our customers – and their customers.”

A Long-Awaited Release

Samsung first unveiled Ballie in early 2020, but development delays postponed its release. The company reintroduced a redesigned version at CES 2024 and confirmed its availability for Summer 2025. Recent demos have highlighted Ballie’s capabilities, including built-in projector to play movies, playing music, answering calls, and monitoring pets when owners are away.

To learn more about Ballie, visit Samsung’s Ballie AI Companion page. 

What This Means

Samsung’s push to integrate Gemini into Ballie marks a significant step in the evolution of smart home technology. By embedding advanced, multimodal AI into a mobile, interactive robot, Samsung is moving beyond stationary assistants like smart speakers or displays—offering users a more conversational and context-aware experience.

Ballie is likely the first consumer-ready robot to combine mobility, natural conversation, contextual awareness, and generative AI reasoning in a single device. That makes it more than a novelty—it’s a preview of how AI might physically inhabit the spaces we live in, not just live on our screens.

This partnership also highlights Google Cloud’s expanding role in powering consumer AI products at scale. For users, Ballie represents a new kind of AI companion—one that adapts, anticipates, and responds meaningfully to everyday life.

While Ballie still faces the challenge of proving its value in real-world use, its success could signal a broader shift in how AI assistants are designed, marketed, and integrated into everyday life. It also hints at a future where generative AI becomes a standard layer within connected home ecosystems—personalized, mobile, and always learning.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.