Samsung is reportedly nearing a comprehensive partnership with Perplexity AI that could fundamentally transform the AI landscape on Galaxy devices, particularly the upcoming Galaxy S26 series. This strategic move represents a significant shift from Samsung’s current heavy reliance on Google’s AI ecosystem, potentially positioning Perplexity as the default AI assistant on future Galaxy smartphones.
Table of Contents
Partnership Details and Integration Plans
The proposed collaboration extends far beyond a simple app installation. Samsung plans to preload Perplexity’s app and assistant on upcoming devices while integrating the startup’s search technology directly into Samsung’s native web browser. The partnership discussions have also explored weaving Perplexity’s capabilities into Samsung’s Bixby virtual assistant, creating a more comprehensive AI ecosystem.
Samsung aims to announce these integrations as early as 2025, with the Galaxy S26 phone line slated for launch in the first half of 2026 serving as the primary vehicle for this new AI experience. The integration represents a departure from Samsung’s current approach, where Google Gemini serves as the primary AI assistant across Galaxy devices.
Financial Investment and Valuation
Beyond software integration, Samsung is expected to become one of the largest investors in Perplexity’s upcoming funding round. The AI startup is in advanced discussions to raise $500 million at a $14 billion valuation. This substantial financial commitment demonstrates Samsung’s confidence in Perplexity’s technology and long-term potential.
Perplexity has experienced remarkable growth, with its valuation jumping from $520 million at the beginning of 2024 to potentially $14 billion by mid-2025. The company processed 780 million queries in May 2025, experiencing over 20% month-over-month growth and handling approximately 30 million queries daily.
Strategic Implications for Samsung
This partnership could help Samsung reduce its dependence on Google’s AI services, similar to Apple’s strategy of working with multiple AI developers. Currently, Samsung devices heavily feature Google’s AI technologies, including:
- Gemini integration across Galaxy S25, S24, and S23 series devices
- Circle to Search functionality powered by Google
- AI Overviews and other Google-powered features
By diversifying its AI partnerships, Samsung positions itself to create more unique experiences while maintaining greater control over its device ecosystem.
Competitive Landscape and Industry Impact
Perplexity’s rise as an AI search alternative has attracted attention from multiple major technology companies. Apple has also shown interest in working with Perplexity, discussing potential integration as an alternative to Google Search and ChatGPT in Siri. This competition for Perplexity’s services highlights the startup’s growing influence in the AI space.
The partnership follows Perplexity’s successful integration with Motorola, which preinstalled the app on the Razr Ultra series. However, Samsung’s approach appears more comprehensive, aiming for native integration rather than simple app preloading.
Technical Capabilities and User Experience
Perplexity distinguishes itself through its conversational search approach, providing real-time answers with citations to sources from the internet. The platform offers:
- Multimodal capabilities handling text, voice, and images simultaneously
- Real-time search with transparent source attribution
- Advanced reasoning for complex queries and problem-solving
- Cross-platform availability on web, iOS, and Android
For Samsung users, this could mean access to an AI assistant that combines Perplexity’s search expertise with Samsung’s device integration capabilities.
Timeline and Future Developments
The partnership discussions have progressed significantly, with recent meetings in South Korea helping to advance the agreement. Samsung and Perplexity have also discussed building an AI-infused operating system and AI agents app that could integrate functionality from multiple AI assistants.
While the specific implementation details remain fluid, the goal is to establish Perplexity as a default assistant option on the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to launch in early 2026.
This strategic partnership represents Samsung’s broader effort to differentiate its devices in an increasingly competitive smartphone market while reducing reliance on any single AI provider. The success of this collaboration could influence how other Android manufacturers approach AI integration in their future devices.