Samsung's Ballie, the basketball-sized home companion robot first previewed in 2020, is finally rolling toward consumer homes this summer with Google's Gemini AI in tow. The companies announced on Wednesday an expanded partnership to boost Ballie's intelligence with Google Cloud's generative AI technology.
Key Points:
- Ballie will use Gemini’s multimodal AI and Samsung’s own models.
- Users can interact via voice and visuals for tasks like outfit advice or home control.
- The robot also offers wellness suggestions and smart home management.
- Launches this summer in the U.S. and South Korea.
The integration will enable Ballie to handle a range of household tasks through natural conversation while moving autonomously around your home. From greeting visitors at the door to adjusting smart lighting systems and managing schedules, the robot aims to blend into daily home life with less friction than stationary smart speakers.
"Through this partnership, Samsung and Google Cloud are redefining the role of AI in the home," said Yongjae Kim, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. "By pairing Gemini's powerful multimodal reasoning with Samsung's AI capabilities in Ballie, we're leveraging the power of open collaboration to unlock a new era of personalized AI companion."
The robot combines audio, visual, and environmental sensor data to adapt its responses in real-time. Ask "How do I look?" before heading out, and Ballie can offer fashion recommendations by analyzing your outfit through its built-in camera. Tell it you're feeling tired, and it might suggest exercise routines or sleep optimization techniques using information grounded in Google Search.
Samsung hasn't specified which version of Gemini will power Ballie. However, they have indicated Ballie will incorporate Samsung's proprietary language models alongside Google's AI, possibly referring to its Gauss2 model series that was announced in December.
The partnership extends a collaboration that began last year when Samsung integrated Gemini into its Galaxy S24 smartphone lineup. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, highlighted the significance of this expanding relationship: "With Gemini on Google Cloud, Samsung is demonstrating how to deploy generative AI at scale, integrating it directly into the heart of their popular products."
Beyond conversation, Ballie comes equipped with a projector that can display virtual buttons on the floor (which users press by stepping on them) or stream video content on walls. At CES earlier this year, Samsung demonstrated how the robot could automatically position itself to optimize projection quality for movie viewing.
Are consumers ready to welcome a mobile AI companion that combines the capabilities of smart speakers, displays, and cameras into a device that follows them around the house. Samsung is betting that by 2025, the answer is yes. Ballie will initially launch in the United States and South Korea this summer.