Samsung Could Make Perplexity AI a Core Part of its Devices
Samsung is reportedly pushing forward with plans to integrate Perplexity AI into its devices.
Earlier this year, reports quietly surfaced about Samsung exploring a partnership with Perplexity AI, the up-and-coming search startup making waves with its conversational AI tools.
At the time, it sounded more like exploratory talks than a sure thing. But now, several reports suggest those conversations have advanced significantly, with Samsung potentially getting ready to roll out Perplexity across its ecosystem in a big way. If everything lines up, Samsung might preload Perplexity’s app and assistant on upcoming Galaxy devices, integrate its search features directly into the Samsung Internet browser, and even weave the technology into Bixby, possibly replacing Google’s Gemini. While nothing is confirmed yet, because the talks are still private, the end goal appears to be making Perplexity a default assistant option in the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to launch in the first half of 2026. That’s a major leap, especially for a startup that only recently signed a smaller deal with Motorola.
Louis Eriakha
While the transition is ongoing, Samsung is still collaborating with Google Gemini, which powers many of the company’s AI features across the Galaxy S-series, Fold, Flip, and A-series phones via One UI 7. Gemini even has a dedicated button access on some models. But with Google under regulatory pressure and competitors exploring more flexible AI strategies, Samsung might be rethinking its long-term approach, looking to drop Google's Gemini and replace it with Perplexity.ai. Apple, for instance, has reportedly discussed using Perplexity as both a Google Search alternative and a potential Siri replacement, a sign that the battle for control of AI assistants is just getting started. And that brings us to another interesting twist: Samsung is also expected to become one of the largest investors in Perplexity’s upcoming funding round. The AI company is aiming to raise $1 billion at a $18 billion valuation, a steep climb from the $9 billion figure it hit just last December. Apple, too, is rumoured to be showing financial interest. If both tech giants jump in, it could spark a new chapter in the AI race, not just in features, but in ownership and influence over how AI shapes the user experience across devices. It’s early days, and a lot can happen behind closed doors. It's clear that Samsung is making a big bet on AI, and they're doing it independently of Google.
