Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday it has started rolling out its latest One UI 8 software to Galaxy smartphones, featuring more personalised artificial intelligence (AI) tools and enhanced security.

The update, which starts with the new Galaxy S25 series, brings what the South Korean tech giant describes as “multimodal” AI capabilities, designed to understand user context and offer proactive suggestions. The software will be extended to older models, including the Galaxy S24 series and its latest foldable phones, later this year.

As Galaxy AI becomes more integrated into daily use, the company emphasised its focus on data security. One UI 8 introduces a new security architecture, Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP), which creates encrypted, app-specific storage on the device to safeguard personal data used by its AI systems.

The software aims to make user interactions more intuitive. It integrates Google’s “Gemini Live” for natural voice commands and enhances the “Circle to Search” feature to provide real-time help during mobile gaming and instant translations overlaid on screen text.

For its range of device designs, particularly foldables like the Z Flip series, the update offers a more adaptive user experience. New features allow AI-generated content to be viewed in a separate window and dragged directly into other apps. Users can also access AI voice commands directly on the cover screens of recent Flip models and customise clock designs to fit their wallpaper.

Other tools include “Portrait Studio” for generating artistic pet photos and call captions which converts speech to text during calls.

The wider rollout to a range of Galaxy smartphones and tablets is expected to continue through the rest of the year.