Samsung confirms core Galaxy AI features stay free, but paid premium tools may arrive soon

Samsung Won't Charge for Current Galaxy AI Features, New Tools May Cost Extra

With over a decade of experience reporting on consumer technology, James covers mobile phones, apps, operating systems, wearables, AI, and more. Your recent Samsung phone or tablet is likely equipped with many AI-powered features, and the brand has confirmed it intends to continue offering them for free. The initial introduction of Samsung Galaxy AI saw the brand include a footnote that it may eventually choose to charge for access to select AI features. It said, "Use of AI features is complimentary through 2025," indicating that you may need to pay for access eventually. As spotted by Reddit user FragmentedChicken and reported by Android Authority, Samsung's website has now been updated. It appears that the change occurred after Jan. 1, 2026. The new wording says, "Galaxy AI basic features provided by Samsung are free." That includes Audio Eraser, Bixby, Browsing Assist, Call Assist, Drawing Assist, Health Assist, Interpreter, Note Assist, Now Brief, Photo Ambient, Photo Assist, Transcript Assist, and Writing Assist. We know the names of the AI features as they're outlined in Samsung's terms and conditions under the section titled Advanced intelligence. That's most of the AI features on your Samsung phone, but it doesn't include any provided by third-party services, such as tools from Google's Gemini platform. Samsung cannot confirm that these will remain free forever, as access is dependent on a third party; however, there's currently no indication that Google will charge for its tools. It says, "Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties." This also doesn't mean all future Galaxy AI features will launch for free. The brand is keeping the ability to charge for what it calls "enhanced features or new services" in future releases. It states that it "may" charge for access. The next major test is the Samsung Galaxy S26 launch, which is rumored to take place on Feb. 25. If true, we may hear about premium Galaxy AI features during its next Unpacked event. A Samsung representative confirmed in July that the company didn't intend to charge for features "provided by default," but this is the first time it has updated its wording in official materials to reflect the new stance. It's also the first time Samsung has specifically listed each Galaxy AI feature it intends to continue offering for free.

Samsung finally confirms the basic Galaxy AI features staying free

Samsung could still offer new, paid Galaxy AI features in the future. This updated language doesn't cover third-party features, either. Samsung's Galaxy AI suite first launched alongside the Galaxy S24 lineup, and it includes a mix of on-device and cloud features powered by Samsung and Google. Some, like Circle to Search, have since made their way to other Android phones, while many remain a Samsung exclusive. While these features have been free for owners of eligible devices since Galaxy AI debuted, Samsung always left the door open to making them paid tools in the future.

Samsung won't charge you for Galaxy AI features (or at least some of them)

Samsung redraws the fine print on Galaxy AI, hinting at a future where not all smarts come free. Along with the Galaxy S24 lineup, Samsung launched Galaxy AI, a useful suite of AI-based features for Samsung's flagship users. At the launch, the Korean giant said that both the on-device and cloud-based AI tools will remain complementary "through 2025." However, the company has reportedly changed the footnotes on the official Galaxy AI landing page, opening the door to charging for some, if not all, AI features. "Galaxy AI basic features provided by Samsung are free," the updated footnote reads (via Android Authority). Paid 'Enhanced' features could be on the horizon But what are the "basic" Galaxy AI features? Per Samsung's Services Terms and Conditions webpage, the list of basic features includes a total of 13 features, including but not limited to Call Assist, Writing Assist, Photo Assist, Note Assist, Transcript Assist, Browsing Assist, Interpreter, Now Brief, and Audio Eraser. Recommended Videos However, the updated footnote also states that Samsung might release certain "enhanced features" in the future, "on a paid basis." While it's not immediately clear what the enhanced features include, they could be Galaxy AI features based on third-party services or AI models. Clearly, the company wants to separate in-house AI features from those provided by other companies, and it could be the latter that attracts a certain fee. "Any Samsung enhanced AI features and all third party AI features are subject to different terms and may be subject to fees." In my opinion, "Samsung enhanced" could refer either to advanced in-house AI tools (outsourced to third-party services at the backend) or to features built on licensed third-party models. In other words, it could be the cloud-based AI features (possibly the new ones) that might be available for a small fee. We already know that Samsung uses Google's Gemini AI assistant, Gemini Live, and Circle to Search, and the same is true for every other major Android manufacturer. If Google were to change its licensing terms with OEMs, manufacturers might be forced to absorb the cost or pass it on to users, regardless of whether they own a mid-range or flagship Android device. For now, Samsung's flagship buyers (and other eligible device owners) can rest assured that most Galaxy AI features will remain free.

Samsung Confirms Core Galaxy AI Features Stay Free Forever - Phandroid

Remember when Samsung had everyone worried about Galaxy AI suddenly becoming a paid subscription after 2025? Good news: the company finally cleared things up. Samsung has officially confirmed that the core Galaxy AI tools built into your phone will stay free indefinitely, ditching that scary deadline that caused so much confusion last year. The features staying free are the ones you actually use every day. Live Translate for calls and messages, Note Assist for polishing your writing, Photo Assist for cleaning up images, and features like Audio Eraser all remain part of your phone without any subscription fees. Basically, if it came pre-installed on your Galaxy S24 or newer device, you can keep using it without worrying about future paywalls. When Galaxy AI first launched, Samsung's fine print said features would be "free until the end of 2025," which understandably freaked people out. Would Call Translate suddenly cost $10 a month? Nobody knew for sure. But after user pushback and media pressure, Samsung updated its messaging. Support pages now clearly state that default Galaxy AI tools will remain free "indefinitely." Samsung is still leaving room to charge for future premium AI services, though. Things like advanced Google Gemini features or cloud-heavy tools that aren't currently on your phone might eventually cost extra. However, the everyday AI features you've been relying on are safe. For users who've already built habits around Live Translate or Note Assist, this is a big relief. You can keep using these tools without watching for a surprise subscription pop-up, and even older Galaxy devices getting AI updates will have access to these features long-term.

Samsung Quietly Reveals Its Future Plans for Galaxy AI Solution

Some Galaxy AI features require users to sign in with a Samsung account Samsung unveiled the Galaxy AI suite of AI-powered features in 2024 alongside the Galaxy S24 series. The AI-based features later made their way to older flagship Galaxy smartphones. While Samsung announced Galaxy AI as free to use, the company hinted that the AI solutions are likely to become a paid service after 2025. Finally, the South Korean tech giant has clarified confusion about the availability of Galaxy AI. Users of Galaxy flagship smartphones will be able to access these AI tools without paying any subscriptions. Samsung Reveals Galaxy AI Policy Samsung appears to have quietly updated the footnote on its website, revealing that the basic Galaxy AI features will remain free for users. The company states, "Galaxy AI basic features provided by Samsung are free. Future releases may include enhanced features or new services that are offered on a paid basis. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties." The latest footnote marks a shift from Samsung's earlier one, which claimed that AI features would be complementary through 2025. The previous statement, "Use of AI features is complimentary through 2025. Purchase may be required after complimentary period. Dates, availability and supported features may vary by app and country", can be seen on the Galaxy AI webpage archive as recently as January 1 2026 (via Wayback Machine archive). The latest update finally dispels rumours that Samsung is reserving Galaxy AI for paid users. It's still not confirmed which one of the currently available Galaxy AI features will be covered under the paid tier. According to the company, the "basic Galaxy AI features" are those listed under the Advanced Intelligence section of its Samsung Services Terms and Conditions. These include features such as Call Assist, Writing Assist, Photo Assist, Interpreter, Note Assist, Transcript Assist, Browsing Assist, Photo Ambient, Drawing Assist, Bixby, Health Assist, Now Brief, and Audio Eraser. Currently, some Galaxy AI features require users to sign in with a Samsung account. To recall, Samsung introduced AI features with the Galaxy S24 series in January 2024, including real-time translations and image editing. They are currently available on Samsung's Galaxy S series, foldables, and fan-edition models, among others.