By Jakob Steinschaden
Publication Date: 2026-02-23 07:14:00
Samsung has announced the integration of the AI assistant Perplexity into the upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphone line. The integration is part of a broader strategy that opens Galaxy AI to multiple AI agents and offers users more choices when interacting with their devices. The South Korean company is thus positioning itself in an increasingly competitive market where various tech companies are vying for dominance in mobile AI assistants.
Users can invoke Perplexity on the new devices with the activation phrase “Hey Plex” or activate it via physical quick-access buttons. The AI agent gains access to core Samsung applications such as Notes, Clock, Gallery, Reminder, and Calendar. Furthermore, the manufacturer plans to support select third-party apps, though it has not named specific ones. In addition to Perplexity, S26 users will also have access to Samsung’s revamped Bixby assistant as well as Google’s Gemini.
Strategic Shift Toward a Multi-Agent Ecosystem
With the integration of various AI assistants, Samsung is pursuing a fundamentally new approach. The company is opening its operating system to the integration of different agents, as users often prefer different AI systems for different tasks—depending on their respective strengths. Won-Joon Choi, President and COO of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience Business, explained that Galaxy AI functions as an orchestrator that brings together different forms of AI in a single, natural, and coherent experience.
The…
