Samsung AI smart fridge start shutting down by themselves, company notes ‘abnormal symptoms’ after system update: Report

Tech industry leaders and researchers have already warned against the rapidly growing artificial intelligence (AI), which could possibly escape human control, posing an existential threat to society. Amid this, Samsung AI refrigerators witnessed a glitch right after a system update. Several customers in South Korea shared their firsthand experience with the issue as their smart fridge stopped working after a system update.

AI software glitch

According to Star News Korea, on September 22, right before the Chuseok holiday break, dozens of incidents were reported involving Samsung Electronics’ Bespoke AI refrigerators.

Samsung's Bespoke AI 4-door refrigerators, especially the models manufactured from 2024 onward, faced the issue. Reportedly, these fridges lost power suddenly and stopped working after receiving a system update notification via Samsung's SmartThings app.

Allegations

From the afternoon of September 22 until the morning of September 23, several customers reported the issue on the company's community forum, Samsung Members. Most of them alleged that their fridges turned themselves off unexpectedly. They reported that the issue occurred immediately after they installed a firmware update through the smart home platform.

The issues with the refrigerator appeared in multiple ways. For some, the internal LED lights turned off, while the refrigerator’s internal panel screen displayed the message, “Checking SmartThings app during update,” which reportedly remained on the screen for hours. On the SmartThings app, the affected refrigerators reportedly appeared as “offline.” In cases where the power was completely cut, even the internal panel screen reportedly went dark, and the refrigerator stopped releasing cooling air.

The update was said to be for “code stabilisation”, which led consumers to install it without any concern.

Consumers, upon contacting Samsung Electronics service centres, were reportedly told that the earliest available appointment was October 1.

In one case, a consumer who said holiday food ingredients were at risk of spoiling was reportedly told that “employees have left for the day, making immediate action impossible.”

Consumers who contacted the dedicated refrigerator department were also reportedly told that power-related problems require an engineer to visit the home to resolve the issue. Some affected consumers allegedly also considered contacting media outlets or pursuing legal action against the company.

Samsung offers repair services during Chuseok

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics said that it plans to prioritise service requests from customers affected by the issue. Where the problem cannot be resolved remotely, the company promised to provide on-site service even during the festive period.

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics announced on September 22 that it would operate emergency repair services throughout the Chuseok holiday. Its service centres will remain closed on October 24, the first day of the holiday, and on October 25, Chuseok's main day, repair services will be available through pre-registration at nine weekend care centres on October 26 and 27.

The nine centres are Samsung Gangnam and Hongdae in Seoul, Jungdong in Bucheon, Seongnam, Guseong in Yongin, Daejeon, Gwangsan in Gwangju, Nam Daegu and Dongnae in Busan.

A representative from the company confirmed that it's ensuring emergency measures.

"Abnormal symptoms have been observed in the refrigerator power and screen of some customers," read a statement by the Samsung representative, as per NDTV.

"We are currently taking emergency measures as a top priority through Samsung Electronics Service Centres. If you have confirmed this symptom, please contact the Samsung Electronics Service Centre. We will do our best to ensure that our customers do not suffer any losses during the Chuseok holiday period."

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.

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