Samsung’s next AI move could shake up your Galaxy S26 experience
With Perplexity in the mix, Bixby may regain relevance alongside Google’s Gemini in One UI 8.5.
With the Galaxy S26 lineup, Samsung might finally give its users a wider set of AI options instead of relying only on Google’s Gemini.
Samsung has always been pretty flexible when it comes to teaming up with others, and now another source is backing the idea that the company is getting ready to work with Perplexity. The goal? Give its assistant Bixby a serious upgrade and let Galaxy users decide which AI they want to use and for what tasks.
Bixby hasn’t exactly been the center of attention lately. On Samsung phones, Gemini has been doing most of the heavy lifting, while Bixby just… sat there. But if the latest rumor is accurate, the Galaxy S26 series could change that.
The new report claims Samsung is planning a full-on refresh of Bixby, powered by Perplexity – the AI answer engine we’ve mentioned before when talking about Samsung looking for ways to rely less on Google. And earlier this year, we also covered how One UI 8.5 and the S26 series could let users pick between Gemini, Perplexity, or Samsung’s own Gauss AI.
At this point, it really feels like Perplexity is locked in. The idea is that Bixby and Perplexity will split responsibilities: everyday commands like reminders and alarms would stay on Bixby, while anything that requires deeper searching or more complex reasoning would be handed off to Perplexity.
It’s basically the same direction Apple is taking with Apple Intelligence and the ChatGPT integration powering some of Siri’s yet-to-launch upgrades. Samsung is expected to reveal this Perplexity-boosted Bixby alongside the Galaxy S26 during its next Unpacked event.
Samsung already works very closely with Google and has built Gemini deep into One UI. Recent Galaxy flagships launched with a bunch of Gemini-powered features that weren’t even available on Pixel devices right away. So the big question is how this Perplexity integration will change that balance.
Perplexity’s strength is fast, clean search results, and that could fit nicely into Bixby’s new role. But for pretty much everything else, Gemini – especially the latest 3.0 model – is miles ahead. Still, if someone prefers Perplexity’s approach over Gemini’s, the Galaxy S26 line may give them a way to switch.
My feeling is that the biggest shift here could be Samsung trying to bring Bixby back as the default assistant across its phones and tablets. And if that happens, Perplexity automatically gets a bigger spotlight too – which would benefit Samsung, especially since the company is said to be investing heavily in Perplexity.
And honestly, diversifying its AI partnerships is a smart move for Samsung. AI is clearly where the industry is heading, and counting on one single partner – even a giant like Google – is risky long-term. Branching out, experimenting, and building multiple relationships can only help.
And I really don’t think this will hurt Samsung’s partnership with Google. These two have been tightly connected for years across hardware, software, and everything in between. This just gives Samsung more flexibility without closing any doors.
Samsung may have another big AI partnership
Samsung has always been pretty flexible when it comes to teaming up with others, and now another source is backing the idea that the company is getting ready to work with Perplexity. The goal? Give its assistant Bixby a serious upgrade and let Galaxy users decide which AI they want to use and for what tasks.
The new report claims Samsung is planning a full-on refresh of Bixby, powered by Perplexity – the AI answer engine we’ve mentioned before when talking about Samsung looking for ways to rely less on Google. And earlier this year, we also covered how One UI 8.5 and the S26 series could let users pick between Gemini, Perplexity, or Samsung’s own Gauss AI.
Confirmed: Bixby will have Perplexity integrated into it. Basic tasks will be handled by Bixby while complicated, more thinking tasks will be backed by Perplexity. Just like how ChatGPT x Apple Intelligence works. Debut during the S26 series Unpacked very likely.
— Semi-retired-ing (@chunvn8888) November 24, 2025
Samsung’s relationship with Google
Samsung already works very closely with Google and has built Gemini deep into One UI. Recent Galaxy flagships launched with a bunch of Gemini-powered features that weren’t even available on Pixel devices right away. So the big question is how this Perplexity integration will change that balance.
Perplexity’s strength is fast, clean search results, and that could fit nicely into Bixby’s new role. But for pretty much everything else, Gemini – especially the latest 3.0 model – is miles ahead. Still, if someone prefers Perplexity’s approach over Gemini’s, the Galaxy S26 line may give them a way to switch.
Samsung might try to make Bixby relevant again
My feeling is that the biggest shift here could be Samsung trying to bring Bixby back as the default assistant across its phones and tablets. And if that happens, Perplexity automatically gets a bigger spotlight too – which would benefit Samsung, especially since the company is said to be investing heavily in Perplexity.
And honestly, diversifying its AI partnerships is a smart move for Samsung. AI is clearly where the industry is heading, and counting on one single partner – even a giant like Google – is risky long-term. Branching out, experimenting, and building multiple relationships can only help.
And I really don’t think this will hurt Samsung’s partnership with Google. These two have been tightly connected for years across hardware, software, and everything in between. This just gives Samsung more flexibility without closing any doors.
If you are curious about the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, we’ve put together several articles that give a clear look at what to expect from the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra:
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